The author, a professor of English education, reads to his nine-year-old son nightly, and has for many years. The mutually cherished and fulfilling routine is strained to the breaking point because of the author's growing concern about his son's prospects for being admitted into a "good" public middle school. The narrative offers insights for literacy educators interested in how high-stakes reading assessments may be affecting the reading life of students and caregivers outside the school environment. It is also of interest to readers whose views on educational policy may conflict with obligations to provide their own children with opportunities to attend high-quality schools.