To access an element's attributes: attributes()
package{ import flash.display.Sprite; public class Main extends Sprite{ public function Main(){ var novel:XML = <BOOK ISBN="0000000000"> <TITLE>ActionScript</TITLE> <!--Previous sibling--> <AUTHOR>J, J</AUTHOR> <PUBLISHER>Books Ltd</PUBLISHER> <!--Next sibling--> </BOOK>; trace(novel.attributes()); } } }