Reading research has provided repeated evidence of measurable growth in reading performance and language development in children as a result of reading literature aloud to them. In order to match appropriate literary experiences to a specific audience, the teacher must have a knowledge of the interests, needs, and strengths of the children, and use that knowledge to guide book selection and presentation. A research project involved tape recording the responses of first grade students in their story group sessions. In addition to the tape recording of verbal responses, a notebook with a checklist of nonverbal behaviors and space for additional comments was marked after each session. An analysis of the tapes revealed 40 categories that seemed to describe the range of responses that were exhibited. The categories were organized under these broad headings: responses to text, responses to story structure, and specifically directed communication. Additional categories were responses to illustration, nonword responses, the offering of personal knowledge and experience, creative language, stating pleasure or displeasure with the book, responses to title page information, comments about physical features of the book, and supplying "The End." The tally sheet framework further differentiated between those responses that related directly to the author's words in the text. Such a framework can provide some guidelines about what useful information may be gathered by observation in the read aloud setting. (HOD)