Reading is arguably the most important skill that children learn in school--and yet many children struggle to become strong readers. This is especially true of African American children. Children growing up in low-income, under-resourced neighborhoods often struggle with reading. But even among Black children in wealthier neighborhoods, learning to read can be a challenge. Recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress show that fewer than 20 percent of African American fourth-graders are strong readers and more than 50 percent are struggling with reading. The questions the authors address in this article are: (1) What's most important for African American children to become strong readers?; and (2) What can parents do to help their child?