“Skip to the end!” That’s what Prince Humperdinck says when the wedding ceremony to Princess Buttercup is taking too long and Wesley is
about to gatecrash.
A lot of middle grade readers skip to the end too. I mean, a lot. Out of 45 students surveyed last
week (my 2 reading classes), 33 of them said they often skip to the end of the book they’re reading. 12 of them said
they always peek at the end.
For some students who peek at the end, it’s a sign of
excitement. “I have to know. I can’t wait,” explained one student. Another
said, “I can’t put the book down if I don’t know the ending, and I
peek so I can put it down and go to bed.” Other students want to set
their expectations. “I need to know if it’s going to be a sad ending,” one girl
told me. And a boy said, “I don’t like surprises.” One student (an English
language learner) said that peeking at the end helped her understand the book
better.
For other students, it is simply a ritual or habit. “I
always read the first two pages and then the last two pages before I read the
whole book,” one boy said. He couldn’t explain why, nor could the student who
said he always read the last word, just to see what it would be.
However, for the vast number of students who admitted
sometimes skipping to the end, it was not a good sign. They skip
to the end when they lose interest in the middle. They no longer feel invested
enough to continue with the story – only enough to find out how it ends before abandoning the book. This made me feel a little sad (as a teacher) and concerned (as an
author).
A sagging middle can get you a “Skip to the end!”
Noted: The middle of a MG book must be high-energy, page-turning, and plot-moving. The middle is a danger zone. It is not the place for lengthy backstory or quiet introspection.
As for the other end of the spectrum ...
Noted: The middle of a MG book must be high-energy, page-turning, and plot-moving. The middle is a danger zone. It is not the place for lengthy backstory or quiet introspection.
As for the other end of the spectrum ...
Out of my 45 students, only 12 said they made a point of never
peeking at the end of their books. For most students, it was because of the reason you’d
expect: They didn’t want the story spoiled.
One boy, unfortunately, admitted: “I’m too lazy to peek. I
don’t care how it ends.” Sigh. Reading is not his favorite subject.
Don’t worry. I’m working on him!
Don’t worry. I’m working on him!
This is interesting, Dianne. I sometimes peek at the ending too, if I'm reading a boring part. It helps me decide whether it's worth reading on or not. But from now on,I'm going to pay more attention to the middles of the stories I write!
ReplyDeleteAndrea, if I lose interest, I sometimes just scan the rest of the book and abandon it. :( But if I'm highly interested in the book, peeking at the end is sacrilege (as Matt says below).
Delete:) II wouldn't be surprised if the same number of adults skipped to the end. That said, I don't usually peek, unless it's the end of a series and I'm curious. I like to have an overall feel for the story and the experience so the blurb is something I analyse for awhile but I don't mind surprise endings.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet your right. I never peek at the end, but my mother always does -- because otherwise, she says, she can't put the book down to do anything else.
DeleteLove this insight into your classroom, Dianne!
ReplyDeleteI am OCD and never skip to the end (cheating!). But it's not genetic: my mother, bless her, always reads the last pages after the first couple. She could be one of your students!
I will now keep a close eye on people's reading habits and interrogate them on whether they are skippers or not!
Michael -- the same with me and my mom! I never peek. She always does!
DeletePrincess Bride is my FAVORITE. Have you read the book?? So funny.
ReplyDeleteFolding down pages? No problem. Writing in a book? No biggie. Skipping to the end? NOT ALLOWED.
I did read THE PRINCESS BRIDE, but I still think I like the movie better. One of the few times I can say the movie was better -- and I'm sure it's because of the actors.
DeleteIt's a tie for me.
DeleteLooking ahead at the end is sacrilege as far as I'm concerned.
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Matt!
DeleteYay!
DeleteVery interesting! And I'm aghast - I'm one of the "never peekers". :) I always pack as much into my stories as I can, but that definitely goes double for MG!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was aghast, too. I think this is pretty typical. Last year's class was the same way.
DeleteI don't peek either. My daughter always reads the last paragraph, which she says usually doesn't give the story away. If I get to the point where I'm going to skip the middle that usually means I'm not interested in the ending. I'll just stop reading. At times I might skip paragraphs or pages but not enough to lose track of the story.
ReplyDeleteI would think this is pretty normal. :)
Yes, if I'm going to abandon ship, I might skim a little, but more likely I will just put it down.
DeleteThis is so interesting. I had no idea so many peek. When I neared the end and was just too tired to stay up, I would sometimes peek. I don't anymore. And I just asked my daughter. She rarely does.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, I've got one daughter on each side of the fence. One who peeks. One who is aghast at the thought.
DeleteYikes! I have twin 14-year-olds who never, ever want anyone to discuss a book if they're reading it. They do not want to know any plot points, nor do they want to know the ending. I think they've become a big militant about it because that's the way I am. I want to find out for myself!
ReplyDeleteJulie -- I like your twins!
DeleteI'm very surprised by the number who peek at the end, it never occurs with me. If I like the book I'll read it to the end and if not I'll move on.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised last year, when students admitted to me how often they peeked. So when I took an actual survey this year, I was less surprised.
DeleteReally interesting post. Love these kind of insights into MG minds and reading habits. We can't get enough of them, I think.
ReplyDelete