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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nBoth books are now available to order on Bookshop and Amazon!<\/strong> \u201cI have been so inspired by our adult learners these past 18 years at Berklee Online, and I\u2019ve learned the stories of their busy lives,\u201d says Cavalier, who was a co-founder of Berklee Online in 2002. \u201cOur students have families and jobs, and they\u2019re trying to achieve this educational goal to make a better life.\u201d My Mom is Going Back to School<\/em> and My Dad is Going Back to School<\/em> both follow the story of eight-year-old Bryce, who illustrator Dana Regan has drawn in such a way that the gender and ethnicity of the character are purposefully ambiguous so as many kids as possible can identify with the child. Throughout the 24 pages of each book, Bryce learns about this new change to the family dynamic and gives young readers a look into what can be expected when a parent goes back to school. This includes late nights for mom and dad, and pitching in a little extra around the house, but ends in a graduation celebration. \u201cAny change to a family\u2019s routine is a big deal for kids,\u201d says Cavalier. \u201cSo with these books, I want to show that even when a parent goes back to school there can still be a consistent routine and things to count on.\u201d Prior to the books\u2019 release, Cavalier has shared the stories with Berklee students and alumni, including Bonny Baez<\/a>, who is a freelance animator enrolled in Berklee Online\u2019s Electronic Music Production and Sound Design<\/a> degree program. He is the father of three-year-old Wes. \u201cThis book sheds light on a topic that we see more and more in our modern generation of parents,\u201d says Baez. \u201cIt helps kids understand what to expect when a parent goes back to school and ways for the whole family to enjoy the excitement.\u201d Cavalier has also shared the books with her colleagues in higher education, including Paul LeBlanc, President of Southern New Hampshire University. Cavalier reveals that LeBlanc has a cameo at the end of the book and is illustrated handing out diplomas. She says that LeBlanc, whose online university is one of the world\u2019s largest, has been a mentor to her over the years as Berklee Online has grown its presence. \u201cWhen I ask adult learners why they have done this hard thing, going back to college, they often say, \u2018I did it for my kids; I want to provide better for them and I want them to know their mom or dad is a college graduate,\u2019\u201d LeBlanc says. \u201cDebbie\u2019s books are a celebration of that commitment and the lived experience of kids whose parents are going back to earn a degree. Millions of them do it every year, but there has been a void of children\u2019s books to speak to that experience for kids.\u201d Children\u2019s books are familiar territory to Cavalier who is a Grammy-winning children\u2019s songwriter and the leader of the band Debbie & Friends<\/a>. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Cavalier has been performing concerts live on YouTube to entertain young ones and give parents a needed break. She is empathetic to the challenges that parents face when it comes to pursuing an education while managing family responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Order My Mom is Going Back to School<\/em> on Bookshop<\/a> and Amazon<\/a>.
Order My Dad is Going Back to School<\/em> on Bookshop<\/a> and Amazon<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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