In 2010 a specially selected group of Australian Grade 4 students will be the first to represent their country and state in one of the world's largest reading assessments. This article outlines the first Australian administration of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). PIRLS is administered internationally by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA); in Australia it is being managed by ACER. In Australia the same Year 4 students selected to take part in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) will also complete the PIRLS assessment. A final report on Australia's performance in PIRLS will be published in December 2010 to coincide with the release of the international report. When the Australian study is completed PIRLS will provide Australian educators with international comparisons of Australian students' reading literacy at a critical stage in students' development where they are, according to the PIRLS framework, moving from learning to read to reading to learn. Participation in future cycles of PIRLS would enable educators to track progress over time. [Author abstract, ed]