This dissertation investigated the relationship of sex, grade level, and demographic characteristics on the individual reading interests of third and fifth grade students in rural, urban, and metropolitan areas of Oklahoma. The reading interests expressed by the students were used to determine if these factors effected reading interests of students. The basal readers used in these classrooms were also investigated to determine whether the stories found in the readers reflected the reading interests of students. The Newbery Award Books were investigated to determine whether or not these students were reading these books.

The findings found sex, followed by grade level, to be the most influential factors in determining reading interests. It was concluded that the basal readers were meeting some of the interests needs of the students. The investigation of the Newbery Award Books revealed that students were not reading these books in the third and fifth grade schools investigated in this study.