Books have been the greatest part of my life. From third grade on, you couldn’t find me without a book in my hand. I read before school, at recess, during lunch (when I could sneak the book in), and after all the various sports my parents signed me up for. I was one of those kids who couldn’t help but devour story after story. 

I never knew what I was looking for, but I always knew when I found it. And when I found it I’d take it and run. People would ask why I made a life decision, and all I could say was the title of a book (this did make them think I was dense). 

All these books and four have changed the trajectory of my life. Without these books, my job, my personality, and my dreams would be completely different. Not all of these were five-star reads (not objectively, they are in my heart), but every one of them touched my soul. Let me explain.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Anne, at the young age of 11, never had a home, parents, or even someone to call a friend. When she is (accidentally) adopted by Marilla and Mathew Cuthbert, her life opens up before her. Even with guardians at her back and her best friend Diana at her side, life isn’t easy for a girl growing up. 

I received two books from my Aunt Vicky in the Christmas of my second-grade year. Beautifully bound children’s versions of The Secret Garden and Anne of Green Gables. I read both, then reread Anne of Green Gables. A few years later I reread it again. A few years later I bought the unabridged version and I read that too. 

Something in my heart pulls me to Anne. She unabashedly messes up, apologizes, learns, and lives free. I love her free spirit, talkative nature, ‘scope for the imagination’, and optimistic personality. She is everything I wanted to be, not because she is perfect but because she is far from it. And I love her for it.   

Anne changed my life in so many small ways. I grew up more cheerful, thoughtful, willing to take my part in mistakes (albeit less so than Anne). My parents will also say I grew up headstrong and with a little too much attitude, but I’ll attribute those to my Dad and Mom, respectfully. Even now, on a particularly bad day, I reread Anne’s story and take heart. She never fails to remind me that optimism, a little imagination, and a few kindred spirits will take me far. 

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

At 12 years old, Percy Jackson has never fit in. His ADHD and dyslexia certainly don’t help, on top of the fact that weird things happen to him every year. He’s determined to finish his school year without incident this year, and he… almost makes it; until he’s attacked by his teacher (with wings suddenly?) and accused of stealing a lightning bolt. Whatever that is. 

Percy’s Mom decides it’s time to tell him the truth and send him away to Camp Half-Blood, a safe haven for demigods. He learns of his true father, Poseidon, God of the Sea, and learns of a crime Percy is accused of committing: stealing Zeus’s lightning bolt. Now, he must go on a quest to find and return the bolt and prevent a war between the Gods. 

If you haven’t heard of Percy Jackson, you live under a rock. He exploded in middle schools, capturing the attention of kids across the country. I was no exception. I read the first three at a rapid pace, and painfully waited for the fourth and fifth to be released the next year. 

Not only was I in love with Percy, but with his whole world. I loved learning about Greek Gods and Goddesses, monsters and heroes, and the rules that regulated the world. Percy Jackson was my introduction into the aggressive reading style that dominated my early years and that I still fall into today. 

It was because of Percy Jackson that I read The Warrior Cats, The Hunger Games, and every subsequent dystopian book that came after. Because of Rick Riordan, I learned how to read for long stretches of time, and the reward that comes from it.

Percy Jackson opened the world of books to me. It forever changed how I identify myself, how I act, and introduced me to some great people I still call friends to this day.

Soccerland by Beth Choat

Flora Dupe swore to her dying mother she would play for the U.S. Woman’s Soccer Team. Now, their dream might come true with an invitation to the Under-15 Girls Soccer team. It’s the first step in a long road to adult nationals. But when she arrives at the International Sports Academy, the talent is like she’s never seen before, the coach is frustrating, and the girls are mean. Flora Dupe refuses to go down without a fight, and this academy can push her to be better than ever. 

Ironically, I would rate this book four stars. It was a good book, but I’ve read sports books that are on par or better. Soccerland had a leg up in two categories to my young, fourth-grade mind: Flora Dupre’s family lived in Maine, and they spoke French. 

My small Midwest point of view was amazed. Here was this American girl speaking two languages! I was drawn to books with a bilingual and cultural experience after that; forever searching out the small words authors would spatter throughout the book like cheri, amour, habibi. 

I studied French for five years in high school, and became forever obsessed with Maine. French opened my horizons, and all I want to do is speak to people, travel, and learn new things wherever I go. Soccerland forever altered my perspective, my dreams, and how I interact with the world, just by introducing me to French.  

The Poppy War Series by Rebecca Ross

Fang Runin, Rin, is a girl from the Rooster Province in the South. She escapes an arranged marriage by testing into an elite military academy, seemingly grasping her dream. But once she arrives, she realizes there are forces underway that she doesn’t understand. When her country gets invaded, she is thrust into a war completely unprepared and attempts to navigate the murky waters of war, politics, relationships, and the morals that steadily cease to exist.

I’m cheating here. I read The Poppy War series last year, cried about it for a cumulative four hours (two were consecutive) and it has lived in me ever since. Reading Rin’s story fractured my perspective on the world. Something in me broke at the battles she had to fight, the betrayals she went through, and the sacrifices she had to make. 

I don’t know how The Poppy War series changed me. I don’t know how those changes will manifest in my life, but I can guarantee they will. I can’t go a week without seeing the trio together, happy and sad, mourning and celebrating, loving each other and fighting each other. Although these were some of the toughest books I have read, I wouldn’t change it for anything. After all, these books are shaping who I am. 

Conclusion

I’m not writing this for you to go out and read my life-changing books, instead, I’m asking you to reflect on yourself. What books altered your dreams, your perspective, and your journey in life? How have the books you read touched your life, your soul?

If you haven’t had these changes, that’s perfectly fine! Pick up another book, and see where it takes you. You might only be one book away from revealing a part of yourself you never knew. Isn’t that so exciting?

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