This book provides comprehensive resources for the critical discussion of major issues in learning to read Chinese from a child acquisition perspective. It is divided into 4 parts and 11 chapters. Part 1, "Theoretical Perspectives on Learning to Read" includes "Current Issues in Learning To Read Chinese" (Ovid J.L. Tzeng), "Children's Early Understanding of Writing and Language: The Impact of Characters and Alphabetic Orthographies" (Kevin F. Miller) and Discussion: "Translations and Transitions in Learning To Read" (Houcan Zhang). Part 2, "Role of Metalinguistic Awareness in Chinese Reading", has three chapters: "Phonological Awareness in Chinese Reading" (Insup Taylor); "The Role of Morphological Awareness in Learning To Read Chinese" (William E. Nagy, Amy Kuo-Kealoha, Xinchun Wu, Wenling Li, Richard C. Anderson, Xi Chen); "Facets of Metalinguistic Awareness that Contribute to Chinese Literacy" (Wenling Li, Richard C. Anderson, William Nagy, Houcan Zhang); Discussion: "Metalinguistic Awareness as a Critical Construct" (Jerome L. Packard). Part 3, "Wide reading and the Development of Chinese Literacy," has four chapters: "Book-Based Programs in Developing Countries" (Warwick B. Elley); "Shared-Book Reading in China" (Richard C. Anderson, Janet S. Gaffney, Xinchun Wu, Chiung-Chu Wang, Wenling Li, Hua Shu, William E. Nagy, Xiaojie Ming); "Children's Literature in the People's Republic of China: Its Purposes and Genres" (Belinda Yun-Ying Louie, Douglas H. Louie); Discussion: Supporting the Reading Instruction and Learning of Chinese Children" (Rebecca Barr). Part 4, "Factors in Home Literacy," includes two chapters: "The Role of Home Literacy Environment in Learning To Read Chinese" (Hua Shu, Wenling Li, Richard C. Anderson, Yu-Min Ku, Xuan Yue); "Writing Systems and Learning To Read in a Second Language" (Keiko Koda); Discussion: "Variables Associated With Learning To Read in Chinese" (Erica McClure). Author and subject indices are included. (Contains 82 references) (KFT)