Living in Two Homes Is Tough by Abby Cadet, Age 9

When I was a child, someone gave me a T-shirt that said Never underestimate the power of a kid! on the front of it.  Those words gave me a bit of courage when I felt nervous or unsure of myself and lingered in my mind long after the T-shirt was gone.  Now, decades later, I find myself telling others to Never underestimate the power of a kid.   Even though kids are small, they can have HUGE ideas!  Kids are capable of doing amazing things when they are willing to work hard and do their best.  Abby Cadet is a good example of a child who has accomplished amazing things...  she recently wrote and published her first book and came up with the idea for a collection of journals for kids!   Her first book is called Living in Two Homes Is Tough.  When Abby wrote Living in Two Homes Is Tough, she based it on real-life experiences and on what it's like to split time between her parents' houses.  Keep reading to learn more about Abby Cadet and her book Living in Two Homes Is Tough.  Maybe you and your students will become inspired to do something amazing too!

Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this post.

Author's Summary

Life after divorce can be really tough for children. Sometimes children feel anxious and confused about living in two homes. Join Addison and her friends as they express their feelings about going back and forth between homes. The gently reassuring text in Living in Two Homes is Tough from the Kid Talk Book Series focuses on self-expression and honesty. Children are likely to adjust better to new living arrangements after separation if they feel like their input is important to their parents. This book is essential for all families, especially those who are co-parenting. Living in Two Homes is Tough shines a light on the ever-growing reality that exists in the lives of many children today. This is a great resource for parents and educators to help children cope with parental separation, breakup, or divorce, and to teach them that whether living in one home or two, they’re always loved and supported.

🍎 Title: Living in Two Homes Is Tough

🍎 Author: Abby Cadet, age 9

🍎 Illustrator: Sidra Mehmood

🍎 Publisher: Brave Kid Press

🍎 Date: November 20, 2020

🍎 Pages: 29

I usually write about newly released children's books and match them with various academic or enrichment activities... but not this time!  This time I want to change things up and shine a light on Abby Cadet and her accomplishments.  How many nine-year-old children do you know of who wrote and published a book and started a business of her own?  Not too many, that's for sure!  So instead of following my usually blogging format, I emailed Abby Cadet and asked her a bunch of 'who, what, where' kind of questions.  Here are her answers in her own words.

Author Abby Cadet with her book Living in Two Homes is Tough

(photo credit: Cindy Cadet, used with permission)

Who is Abby Cadet?

I am Abby Cadet.  I just turned ten years old. I love art and I like to ice skate. My favorite color is pink. I like pretzels and I enjoy going to indoor waterparks.

What is Living in Two Homes Is Tough about?

It's about a girl whose parents got divorced. She tells her friends about how she feels living in different homes and her friends help her to express herself to her dad.

Where did you get the idea for Living in Two Homes Is Tough?

My parents are divorced and I live in two homes so I want to help other kids going through the same thing.

When did you start working on Living in Two Homes Is Tough?

I came up with the idea. My mom and I started writing the book in July.  Then we worked with an illustrator who completed the illustrations in October.  Then we published the ebook and journal on Amazon in November because November is National Entrepreneurship Month.  I am a new kidpreneur.  We published the paperback version in December in time for my 10th birthday.

(Note: Kidpreneur is the name given to a child who starts his or her own business.  Abby Cadet is a kidpreneur because... in addition to writing and publishing her first book... she is the creative genius behind Brave Kids Press.  Pretty cool, eh?)
 

Why did you write Living in Two Homes Is Tough?

To help kids dealing with divorce talk to their parents. It's important for kids to express themselves and sometimes they don't know how to tell their parents how they feel. 

How were you able to get Living in Two Homes Is Tough published at such a young age?

My mom helped me to publish it.  We read a few books and took some classes to learn how to publish on Amazon.

   

Are you as impressed with Abby Cadet's accomplishments as I am?  Do they inspire you to integrate more writing into your language arts lessons?  Do you have any words of encouragement for Abby Cadet you'd like me to pass on to her?  Leave your thoughts and comments below!