A study investigated whether the incidence of ageism has diminished in recent editions of basal readers. Materials examined in the study were the 1971 and 1980 editions of the American Book Company Reading Series, the 1973 and 1980 editions of the Holt Basic Reading System, the 1971 and 1981 editions of the Houghton Mifflin Reading Series, and the 1970 and 1980 editions of the Macmillan Reading Program. The fourth and fifth grade books in each series were read in their entirety, and information was gathered to determine whether the elderly in the stories were main, significant, or support characters and to establish their relationships and roles in the stories. In addition, descriptions of behavioral traits, physical attributes, and qualities of personality were analyzed and categorized. A comparative analysis of data from the older and newer editions showed that the percentage of elderly present in stories and illustrations had increased, and that some improvement existed in the portrayal of the living arrangements, behavioral traits, and activities of older characters. However, a lack of realism was found in the depiction of the personality, health, and appearance of the elderly in the newer as well as the older editions. (FL)