The authors examine the National Early Literacy Panel (NELP; 2008) report from two complementary vantage points: (a) the historical tradition of research syntheses in reading research, beginning with Chall and extending through the NELP report, and (b) other recent attempts to examine or synthesize early reading development. While acknowledging the care and precision that characterized the work, the authors of this response raise concerns about the reluctance of the NELP authors to contextualize their findings in relation to both historical and contemporary efforts. (Contains 4 tables.)