The authors contend that the students, even those labeled "at risk" or "struggling," learn to read by reading--having time, opportunity, and support for active construction of meaning from text and reading books that are exciting, age-appropriate, enjoyable, and often self-chosen. Using examples from classrooms, the authors argue that assessing what children know about reading, their interests, and their successful reading/writing strategies will help counteract a dismal cycle that traps those who fail to perform proficiently on worksheets, flash cards, and other drills. If teachers create a literate environment supporting all readers in their efforts to make sense of literacy events, students will come to revalue reading, the process of meaningful interaction with print. The authors believe reading is a matter of "catching on" to an authentic experience of literacy and the power that participation gives.