' Load the file and ignore all white space.
Dim settings As New XmlReaderSettings()
settings.IgnoreWhitespace = True
Using reader As XmlReader = XmlReader.Create("2books.xml")

  ' Moves the reader to the root element.
  reader.MoveToContent()

  ' Moves to book node.
  reader.Read()

  ' Note that ReadInnerXml only returns the markup of the node's children
  ' so the book's attributes are not returned.
  Console.WriteLine("Read the first book using ReadInnerXml...")
  Console.WriteLine(reader.ReadInnerXml())

  ' ReadOuterXml returns the markup for the current node and its children
  ' so the book's attributes are also returned.
  Console.WriteLine("Read the second book using ReadOuterXml...")
  Console.WriteLine(reader.ReadOuterXml())

End Using

// Load the file and ignore all white space.
XmlReaderSettings settings = new XmlReaderSettings();
settings.IgnoreWhitespace = true;
using (XmlReader reader = XmlReader.Create("2books.xml")) {

  // Moves the reader to the root element.
  reader.MoveToContent();

  // Moves to book node.
  reader.Read(); 

  // Note that ReadInnerXml only returns the markup of the node's children
  // so the book's attributes are not returned.
  Console.WriteLine("Read the first book using ReadInnerXml...");
  Console.WriteLine(reader.ReadInnerXml());

  // ReadOuterXml returns the markup for the current node and its children
  // so the book's attributes are also returned.
  Console.WriteLine("Read the second book using ReadOuterXml...");
  Console.WriteLine(reader.ReadOuterXml());      

}

<!--sample XML fragment-->
<bookstore>
  <book genre='novel' ISBN='10-861003-324'>
    <title>The Handmaid's Tale</title>
    <price>19.95</price>
  </book>
  <book genre='novel' ISBN='1-861001-57-5'>
    <title>Pride And Prejudice</title>
    <price>24.95</price>
  </book>
</bookstore>