You Are What You Read

                                                                 By Trina Boice
                                                            www.boicebox.com

Scholastic Books has recently created a fun, new web site entitled www.youarewhatyouread.com  where you can join an online book community that lets you connect with readers around the world through the books that have shaped your life. 

The web site showcases celebrities and other famous people as they reveal which five books most influenced them in their lives.  It's called your "bookprint"...the list of books that leave an indelible mark on our lives, shaping who we are and who we become.

So, is it true that you are what you read?  If so, what are YOU?  What do the books on your bedside table say about you? Which books would you put on your top five?  According to the web site, the most listed books include:
* To Kill a Mockingbird
* The Bible
* Harry Potter Boxed Set
* Pride and Prejudice
* The Catcher in the Rye
* Gone with the Wind
* The Hunger Games
* The Giving Tree
* The Giver
* Charlotte's Web
* The Lord of the Rings

Hmmm....that explains a lot about our society, eh?  A great book stays with you, no matter where it goes.  Even funner is sharing a good book with someone else.  The web site features "Pass It On", where you can select a favorite book, print out a bookplate, and then give it to someone who may not be familiar with that particular book.

Teachers and parents are given tips to help younger readers discover the wonders of reading, and the site boasts a world-wide map that shows favorite book trends across the globe.  "Bookmates", "Book Blurbs" and other fun options allow you to create an interactive profile on their site. 

It's all a lot of fun.  Check it out and if you can't think of your top five books, you could always list one of the ones I wrote...(wink).