Our summer intern Emily Burns is here, talking about the five books that most influenced her life! Do you share any with her? Check out You Are What You Read to create your own Bookprint! Thanks, Emily!

I have had an…what’s the word I’m looking for…OBSESSION with books since before I can remember. From a young age I became friends with my librarian to get the best book recommendations, asked for books as gifts on holidays and birthdays, and even had to be occasionally reminded to put my book away during class time. The idea of a good book thrilled me!  I’ve always loved the excitement of cracking the spine for the first time, the distinct smell of a freshly printed book, and the way a book could transport you to a different time.  Each one was like a new adventure!

These five books are the few (out of many) that I feel have directly impacted my life in a positive way.  They’ve made me who I am today… they are my “Bookprint.”

One of my earliest childhood memories of reading is the book Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards.   I remember taking turns reading each page with my dad before bed. This must have been a painstaking process for my dad (I could barely read at the time!) but he patiently read with me every night because he knew how much I loved it. The story about an orphan girl who uses a small cottage in the woods as an escape intrigued me, and reading bits of it was something I looked forward to every night. This book was the start of my love for reading and books.

I’ll admit it…I’m a HUGE history nerd! I particularly enjoy learning about anything involving Abraham Lincoln, American history, and WWII Europe. The Dear America Series was the perfect fit for me during my elementary years.  It combined my intense love of history with unique stories involving young girls who were just like me – only in a different time. I really related to this series. It helped me to realize my love for all things historical fiction.

Going into my freshman year of high school, I was assigned a list of summer reading books. Among this list was A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith. (Note: Oprah Winfrey also included this in her Bookprint!) From the first page, I was in love.  This book combined a beautiful coming-of-age story with a well-painted picture of the early twentieth century in New York. The main character, Francie, quickly became my inspiration and drive throughout the rest of my high school years.

I read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald during my junior year of high school.  This book swept me into 1920s New York City.  I never wanted to leave. I finished the book, but I made it my goal to live in New York City one day. And here I am! While the city may not always be as glamorous as F. Scott Fitzgerald painted it to be…my experience living in New York City has still been a dream come true.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a book that led me to the experience of a lifetime. I read this book the summer after my senior year of high school. It combined historical elements of the Holocaust (there’s my love of history again!) with the heart-wrenching story of a young girl named Liesel and her love of books. This book sparked my interest in learning more about the Holocaust. So, when given the opportunity after my freshman year of college, I took a month-long trip to Austria and Germany to delve deeper into this tragic time in history. This experience is one that I will never forget.  And it all began with a book. It’s amazing what books can do!

Which five books would you choose as your Bookprint, readers?