Where “Dear Graduate” Came From

Sometime last fall I kept thinking about the question we’ve long asked children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” 

We all go through school, taking classes and tests and trying to be good at as many things as possible. We might have counselors or be fortunate with a mentor or a parent that has the time and energy to guide you.

But I kept returning to the idea that maybe the question should be, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” 

It probably had something to do with that moment in time in a pandemic, in thinking about my two kids (now 21 and 18) and their futures and talking with them about how to choose a career that is a passion that can bring them pride and satisfaction. And I’m sure it had something to do with another in a long line of my own mid-life crises. 

It also connected with a cultural feeling I've had, the sense that a lot of people look down on other people because of the type of work they do, but also seeing how during a pandemic it took a lot of very different skills and abilities to keep the world spinning. Early on I could see how all some were getting to stay home on laptops while other whole industries were working even harder to keep us all going, from healthcare to teachers to food service. 

I wrote down some ideas quickly, then shared with my partner Adam, who was moved while reading it. 

We started to discuss the book as a whole and then each page, and what a reader would take away from the book. Adam helped to write, rewrite, and fine tune the language. We talked about what it should look like visually. 

Should it be illustrated, or should we put the questions out there plainly and let the reader visualize their own version? Adam is a brilliant designer (you’ll have to look at his website to see what he can really do), but we both loved the simplicity of color and text. 

Then, we started sharing the book with people and they each had strong emotional reactions. And it has led to a lot of conversation, and people saying, “I wish someone had asked me what I wanted to do…” 

We also found readers thought it would be impactful for graduates of every age, from elementary, middle, or high school—and even kindergarten or college.  

So, this is something of an accidental project that has taken on a life of its own and now has entered the world, hopefully helping graduates think deliberately about some of their road ahead. 

We've printed hardcover copies and we’re marketing the book online. We're also doing some guerrilla distribution to book stores, gift shops, and toy stores. If you have a favorite you recommend we reach out to, please let us know below.

You can see the whole book for free and to purchase over here. 

You can also purchase the book on Amazon, Etsy, and Ebay. It’s the perfect gift for a graduate this spring or beyond. 

We would love to hear your thoughts on it after reading it online as well!