The effects of infusing tradebooks into the school and home environments of non-White, low socioeconomic status, urban third through fifth graders were studied. Tradebooks are books with a purpose that is not school-based. The study was conducted in an urban kindergarten through grade 5 school in the Los Angeles (California) area, where 59 percent of the students are Hispanic American and 40 percent are Black. An action research approach was chosen. Every target classroom was provided with a book box of tradebooks on various subjects for students to read and share at home. Students were interviewed about their use of these books and their attitudes toward reading. Entry and exit interviews with more than 100 children indicated that many had non-school based materials at home, mostly stories based on films or television. From entry to exit there was little stated change in children's expressed attitudes toward reading, but their responses to the availability of these books were favorable. Although no conclusive proof of the importance of tradebooks for promoting developmental reading is offered, some striking comments by children and adults do demonstrate positive effects of providing reading material. Eleven tables present study findings. Appendix A is the letter used to solicit research assistants. Appendix B contains the interview instruments. Appendix C is the project evaluation form for the research assistants. (SLD)