Melissa Landa was born in South Africa, and has lived in South Africa, England, and Israel.

Melissa enjoys working with students, who often co-author and deliver papers with her at national and international conferences, including in Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey. Her most recent book is called, Early Childhood Literacy Teachers in High Poverty Schools: A Study of Courage and Caring. Her previous book titles include Listening to Young Writers, Early Childhood Literacy Teachers in High Poverty Schools, I is For Israel, and What Would You Do? A Book About Bullying, which she wrote with Clara Allsup and other students in her class on children’s literature.