PCES teacher pens second children's book

By Staff
Melissa Cason
PHIL CAMPBELL – A kindergarten teacher recently saw her dream come true for a second time as she finished and published her second children's book.
Phil Campbell Elementary School teacher Karen Mitchell finished her book, "Zack and the Beanstalk," as a follow up to her successful book "Kinderella."
"My first book took four years to complete, and my second book took three years to complete," Mitchell said.
Mitchell not only writes the story, but she illustrates each book.
"I write the story in my head over a period of time, and I put it on paper when I get it all together," Mitchell said. "That part of the process goes pretty quickly. It's the illustrations that take the most time."
While Mitchell's books are very different, they do have several common items.
"They are based on fairy tales, and they are all about kindergarten," Mitchell said. "I want my books to something my students will want to read."
Mitchell said it's important that her students know she has written a book so they will know they can too.
"Kids do not know that everyone doesn't write books so I share with them that I write books so they will be encouraged to write books too," Mitchell said.
Since the publishing of "Kinderella," this theory has paid off for the teacher.
"Later on in the year, my students will start writing books and stapling them together," Mitchell said. "It's very cute, and some of them are very good. But, the focus is getting them started."
While Mitchell is enjoying her success with her second book, she is planning a third, but she is in the planning stages now.
"I do have an idea about my third book, but I haven't quite developed the story at this point," Mitchell said.
Mitchell's books, "Kinderella," and "Zack in the Beanstalk," can be found locally at the Lily Pad and Coldwater Books in Tuscumbia, and online at barnesandnoble.com.