A program was designed to improve reading comprehension of first-grade students in one school and second-grade students in another school of an urban neighborhood school district in a medium-sized midwestern city. The problem has been addressed both at the district level and the building level, although scores in reading comprehension have decreased on the standardized tests over the past two years. Analysis of the probable cause data revealed that students were lacking in entry-level skills and prior exposure to reading. In addition, review of curricular content and implementation suggested that an overemphasis was put on the acquisition of skills in isolation rather than reading as a whole. Solution strategies suggested by the professional literature combined with an analysis of the problem setting resulted in the selection of two major categories of intervention. The first dealt with increasing exposure to books while providing successful experiences in reading. The second focused on activities using a variety of art forms designed to improve skills needed for increased reading comprehension. All symptoms of the original problem were reduced as projected: the students' reading comprehension skills improved through increased exposure to literature and the integration of the arts into the reading curriculum. (Contains 37 references, 4 tables, and 1 figure of data. A checklist for reading comprehension, the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey, two appendixes of data, and a 44-item list of songs, charts, and repetitive books are attached.) (RS)