Evidence dating back to the 1930s and receiving increased attention today shows that boys tend to lag behind girls in reading achievement. The author asserts that we can help boys become thoughtful, accomplished readers, if we view their existing competencies, interests, and personal experiences as assets rather than as impediments to achievement. He describes three examples of how educators built on boys' assets: a teacher who developed a word study unit using popular rap songs; several teachers who discovered their male students' interests and shaped their literacy experiences accordingly; and a mentor who inspired one boy to express the insights he had gained from his personal experiences. Each of these examples shows how schools can help close gender achievement gaps by focusing on boys' lives as resources for literacy.