In this article, I respond creatively to the recent Australian Government Department of Education Teacher education expert panel [TEEP] report entitled "Strong Beginnings." Released in July 2023 and led by Professor Mark Scott AO, the report outlines problems pertaining to teacher education in Australia. It aims to improve student outcomes and help prevent the rising crisis in teacher attrition. It makes recommendations designed to ensure that graduate teachers understand and can apply effective teaching practices. The report contains unfavourable commentary on Universities' preparation of pre-service teachers for classroom practice, specifically in reading instruction. Here, I explore the issues related to educating pre-service teachers on reading instruction. I draw on Yamada and Besom's New York Times best-selling children's book "What do you do with a problem?" to structure the details. Using palimpsests drawn from the picture book, I narrate my experience of professional angst. I demonstrate data collected from first-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) students to gauge their self-perceptions of literacy levels. I examine problems identified through a critical autoethnographic lens and with insights drawn from revolutionary praxis theory. I make alternative recommendations to improve pre-service teachers' preparation for reading instruction. These much-needed recommendations are intended to improve reading outcomes for all.