ABSTRACT
—The interviews with Will and Erin revealed important thread relevant to their developing literacy lives—that of agency. Through their narratives, one can see the development of agency on both their parts as they sorted out their likes and dislikes and as they responded to the various types of textual practices experienced within the different social domains in their lives. The powerful role of home literacy worked its way into the types of literacy events Erin prefers and the ways in which she engages with them. As school literacy practices entered Erin’s life, she grew less involved with the crossword puzzle activity at home. Although Will does not express the same interest in crossword puzzles as Erin, he does talk about what types of reading and writing—especially personal writing—are important to him. Will clearly connects reading, writing, and published works within notions of a profession or a public life for himself.
