Why Kids Need to Finish Books: Building a Love for Reading
Parents tell us all the time: “I just want my child to love reading.”
They talk about their own childhoods—nights curled up with a stack of books, regular trips to the library, experiencing their own parents’ love of stories. But what do they remember most? Getting completely lost in a book.
That’s the magic we want for our kids, too. Whether it’s through a print book, kids’ eBooks, or audiobooks for kids, one thing stays true: kids don’t fall in love with reading practice or vocabulary drills. They fall in love with characters. With cliffhangers. With the feeling of needing to know what happens next.
Why the Ending Matters
Think about it. Have you ever given up on a book yourself? The characters didn’t grab you, the story dragged, and—poof—you set it aside. No ending, no payoff.
Kids feel that, too. And when they don’t get to the ending, they miss the moment where the story comes full circle. That’s where the magic lives.
Take The Wizard of Oz. Meeting the Scarecrow is fun, but it doesn’t mean much without the bigger journey: Dorothy trying to get home to Aunt Em. The real power of the story is watching her friends—Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion—help her along the way. And that unforgettable moment when she finally makes it back to Kansas? That’s what sticks.
Without the ending, it’s just… half a story.
What Experts Say and How It Applies to Kids’ Books
In her article in The Atlantic, author and children’s novelist Katherine Marsh explores why fewer kids are reading for pleasure today. Marsh argues that the issue goes far beyond the influence of screens. Although smartphones and pandemic-related learning loss contribute, a deeper problem lies in how reading is taught in schools.
Marsh warns that too often, kids are asked to analyze short passages instead of simply enjoying the story. That kind of teaching turns reading into work, not wonder. And without that emotional payoff at the end, kids miss the very thing that makes reading worth it.
She’s right. You can’t expect kids to love reading if they never feel the reward of finishing a story. “You can’t teach kids to love reading if you don’t even prioritize making it to a book’s end,” Marsh says.
This applies across formats. Whether it’s chapter books, picture books, audiobooks or Read-to-Me books, the key is letting kids experience full stories, not just snippets.
How Parents Can Help: Give Kids Books They Want to Finish
Helping kids finish books doesn’t mean forcing them to get to the end of every book they start. It’s about building the habit of following stories through. One easy way? Use Epic’s reading progress tracking tool, which shows you which books they’ve read and time spent reading. As your child reads, ask them to re-tell the story to you—what just happened, and what they think might happen next. That little spark of curiosity is what gets them excited to keep reading.
Epic also makes it fun to reach “The End.” Kids earn reading badges and collect Reading Buddies when they complete books—these are small but powerful motivators that keep them reading. Many books on Epic also include short quizzes at the end, so kids can test their comprehension and feel proud of what they’ve learned.
Here’s the best part: Epic’s online kids’ books let kids browse at their level and follow the characters they love, all the way to the last page. And when they finally close the book? Celebrate it! The sigh of finishing, the joy of knowing how it all ends—that’s what makes kids want to pick up the next one.
So tonight, grab a story—paperback or digital—stick with it, and see it through to the end. Children’s books aren’t just about the words; they’re about the full journey. That’s how a love of reading takes root.
