​ My maternal grandmother was illiterate, and witnessing her struggles inspired me to help others learn to read and write. Most of my volunteer work has focused on literacy programs. Professionally, I taught elementary and high school students at a private Christian school for six years. After my classroom teaching experience, I transitioned to teaching in the homes of preschool families, completing over 1,000 home visits as a parent educator for the St. Louis Public Schools. I hold a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as a year and a half of law school at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

In 2007, I began writing a children’s book based on the photographs my husband had taken of our two children while they were growing up. Encouraged by the late children’s book author Patricia McKissack to continue with the project, I completed How Are You Today? A Celebration of Children's Emotions. This book has given me a springboard to speak to audiences about the importance of literacy.

​Please contact me for opportunities to speak to your class or group about literacy.

Linda M. Mitchell
Member, Turn the Page STL Literacy Collaborative, a chapter of the National Campaign for Grade Level Reading