Each Thursday, we post personal accounts from people around Scholastic about the five books they chose for their own Bookprints, and the reasons why. Today, check out MATH Magazine’s Assistant Editor Linda Buchwald’s Bookprint, and then, don’t forget to go create your own and let us know what you chose!

When I was growing up, I was what you would call a bookworm. One of my favorite parts of the summer was our local library’s reading program. In college, I naturally majored in English and though these days I am more often found in front of a computer screen than a book, I still try to pick up a novel whenever I can.

Clearly, I’ve read a lot of books, so when I was asked to create a Bookprint, I didn’t know how I could possibly narrow it down to five. Even as I write this, I’m debating my final choices. Should I have included another of my favorites that I read multiple times in my younger days, Little Women? Or the The Baby-sitter’s Club, which was as much a part of my childhood as any other book? As a theater buff, should I have included a play?

I’m sure there were any number of combinations of books I could have picked that would still be an accurate representation of me, but I tried to stick with books that I not only read and reread, but that influenced me.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens: Whenever I’m asked the daunting question, “What’s your favorite book?,” this is usually the first book that comes to mind. Charles Dickens had such an ability to write descriptions and make the reader see perfectly this world of characters he created — Who could forget the optimistic Mr. Micawber or the despicable Uriah Heep? As a writer myself, it’s something I try to keep in mind: Show don’t tell. The best example of this for me has always been David Copperfield.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: And this is the second book that comes to mind when talking about favorite books. As you can see, I’m a 19th century British literature kind of girl. Although it’s not a happy or satisfying romance, I’m still convinced that this is the greatest love story of all time.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein: This is the picture book I read as a child that left the biggest impression on me. It’s a very sad story — the boy becomes increasingly selfish as he gets older and the tree loves him unconditionally. But it’s so beautifully done and I love the illustrations. It reminds me that even a picture book can be art.

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby: I could have really picked anything by Nick Hornby because what I admire most about him is the way music is such a huge part of his writing — fiction and nonfiction. His writing was one of my influences in deciding to apply to graduate school for arts journalism.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling: I didn’t just pick this because I work for Scholastic. I was going to include the whole series, but then decided to go with my favorite of the 7. Obviously, I’m not one of those people that didn’t read until Harry Potter came around, but I had to include it because it is the only book series that I’ve shared with my entire family. My mom and sister read the first book and kept telling me I had to read it. I didn’t have any interest, but they finally convinced me, and I was hooked. My dad and brother read them all as well, and I love that I can talk to anyone in my family about the series.

Which five books have shaped you, readers? Tell us in the comments, and then explore You Are What You Read for more ways to connect with other readers.