This article presents the pertinence of using traditional Mexican narratives as materials to promote reading in diverse audiences. After reviewing the background and giving a series of theoretical and methodological guidelines, we report an intervention that consisted of an adult reading workshop at a high school in the city of Xalapa, capital of the state of Veracruz, Mexico.The work was done during eight extracurricular sessions in the same educational establishment. The methods of evaluation of the strategy, as well as the results of the intervention, are discussed. It is a fortunate experience of promoting read- ing in an educational space