Local kindergarten teacher publishes children's book
By Staff
Melissa Dozier-Cason FCT Staff Writer
A local kindergarten teacher recently fulfilled a dream of having her own children's book. Karen Mitchell, a teacher at Phil Campbell Elementary School, published her first book, "Kinderella".
"Kinderella" is a story of a little girl named Kinderella, who lives with her dad and nice step-mother, and is preparing for her first day of kindergarten, and the book tells about her first day. In addition to writing the story, Mitchell illustrated the book by hand, which took about four years to complete.
Some of Mitchell's past students were incorporated into the book through her illustrations. She put her niece and nephew into the story as well. Mitchell's niece, Hallie, is Kinderella's new friend that she meets at school. The principle in her story also has a strong resemblance to PCE's own principle Jackie Ergle.
Mitchell's desire to write a book came from one of her elementary teachers. When she was in the third grade at Russellville Elementary, her teacher had them paint and write a story as a class assignment. From that moment on, Mitchell knew she wanted to write a book someday.
"I remember thinking that one day I would do a book of my own and get it published," Mitchell said.
The story idea began when Mitchell's kindergarten class was learning about fairy tales, and they were comparing them to other stories, Mitchell said.
"We were reading 'Cinderella', and I thought about writing a story about a Cinderella in kindergarten," Mitchell said.
Mitchell opted to publish and sell the book herself instead of sending the manuscript and art out to publishers around the country. She turned to MKL Designs, located in Huntsville, to have the book published.
"I found out about Kim and Mike Dozier [MKL Designs], and decided to go to them to get my book published since it's hard to get children's books already illustrated published," Mitchell said.
Since getting her books from the publisher in August, Mitchell has sold copies to school supply stores, and donated a copy to her school's library. She also plans to donate a copy to the Russellville Middle School Library, since she was a student of RMS when she first thought of writing a book.
Mitchell plans to take her book to education seminars, held during summer vacation, to sell them to fellow educators, since her audience for her story is kindergarten students. She has also sold copies to local school supplies stores.
The teacher has already written her second book, "Zach and the Beanstalk", and is currently working on her illustrations. Instead of drawing the pictures this time, she has decided to use paints.
"All my books are going to be based on fairy tales in kindergarten," Mitchell said.
Mitchell, 43, lives in Spruce Pine with her husband, Billy Joe, and has been a teacher at Phil Campbell Elementary for 21 years. She has taught kindergarten for 15 years and second grade for six.
Mitchell's book can be purchased for $10 from her by calling the Phil Campbell Elementary School.
