In honor of our centennial, we asked interns from over the years to share their reminiscences.

I was an intern during the summer of 2007, the year before I graduated from Wellesley College. At the time, I was trying to decide what I was going to do with my English major, and I felt a lot of discouragement and uncertainty. One thing the Horn Book internship did for me was teach me that studying any kind of literature — and especially literature that’s often not taken seriously or valued in our culture — is so important. I ultimately went on to grad school and got my PhD, and I now teach first-year writing, research, and oral communication seminars that focus on Gothic fiction and other genres that also often haven’t been taken seriously. I also really try to center the voices of women and queer, trans, and BIPOC writers — and it’s honestly such a thrill to see more and more of those voices represented in children’s literature today too! My time at the Horn Book really made me feel like I wasn’t alone in thinking these sorts of stories and voices mattered, and I feel so privileged to be in a place now where I can make sure my students see their value too.

Also, a fun note: when I first arrived in grad school, I recognized the name of a classmate as someone I had mailed review copies of books to during my internship! She and I now teach in the same department and she’s one of my closest work friends, as well as someone who teaches amazing courses about fairy tales and other texts for young people.

For more Horn Book centennial coverage, click here.