What to assign students to read in a literature course--or a writing course for that matter--is one of the core questions that faces those who teach English. This article imagines that the world itself is a text, and to teach students to become critically literate in the classroom has important consequences beyond it, arguing that English teachers would be wise to shift attention away from "what" texts to teach and toward teaching students "how" to interact with texts. The author outlines two critical reading strategies that help prepare students to engage critically with the world around them.