Amos Gets a Dad

By Eva Markert

Amos's mum has married the nice Mr Baldwin and calls him Henry. Amos doesn't know what he should call him, so he sticks with "Mr Baldwin" for a start.

Amos has loads of fun with him. Mr Baldwin has a talking budgie and the longest handkerchief in the world. He takes Amos to bed every night and tickles him until he's had enough or he thinks up funny stories with him. And he is always there when Amos needs help.

Amos therefore realises one day that Mr Baldwin is not just Mr Baldwin, but his dad, and indeed the best dad in the whole world!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Mar 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781071532799

Book preview

Strict Dads

Good night, sleep tight, Amelie's mum and dad say.

Amos is staying the night again with his cousin Amelie. His mum and Mr Baldwin are coming back tomorrow. They are away on holiday. And, because they just got married, Mr Baldwin is now Amos's dad.

I wonder what it's like to have Mr Baldwin as a dad, says Amos.

Why do you still call him Mr Baldwin all the time? asks Amelie.

Because I've always said Mr Baldwin.

I have an idea! Amelie calls. Megan in nursery school says daddy to her dad. You could do the same.

Amos doesn’t want to think about it right now. We’ll see, he says.

They are quiet for a little while.

There is something else that Amelie still wants to know: Do you think Mr Baldwin is very strict?

I don’t think so, Amos responds. What is strict?

"Well, that he scolds a lot. And punishes you. Like Ben’s dad. If Ben is naughty or does something he’s not supposed to, his dad yells at him and doesn’t let him play outside or watch television for a few days or something like that. And sometimes he even gets his ears boxed.

I don’t believe that Mr Baldwin is strict, Amos repeats. But I don’t know for sure. I have never been naughty to him.

You could always try it once. And then you can tell me how he reacted.

Okay.

My dad is never strict! Amelie announces.

You are very much mistaken on that point!

Amelie and Amos start. Amelie’s dad said that. He is standing in the doorway.

If you two aren’t quiet soon, you’ll see how unbelievably strict I am! And if you wake up Maya with your chatter, I’ll be hopping mad!

Maya is Amelie’s little sister. She is still a baby and sleeps in a cradle in their parents’ bedroom.

Amelie giggles. What are you going to do if you’re strict, daddy? she inquires.

You don’t want to know!

I do! Will you scold us really loudly?

You bet!

But if you scold us loudly, you’ll wake up Maya, Amos interjects.

My scolding is soft, Amelie’s dad responds. Soft, long and persistent.

Amelie is excited that her dad can be strict. How will you punish us if we’re loud? she wants to know.

I can tell you exactly: If you continue to make noise, you won’t get a bedtime treat now.

Chocolates? they both ask together.

Chocolates, Amelie’s dad confirms.

We’ll be really quiet, Amelie promises and Amos nods eagerly.

Amelie’s dad goes to get chocolates.

Amos frowns. Something about that punishment doesn’t work.

Amelie also thinks about this. If we’re loud later, we won’t get any chocolates now ... Hmm. Daddy has no way of knowing whether we’ll be loud later or not.

Exactly! Amos exclaims. Uncle Richard has to give us the chocolates because he can’t punish us for something we might not even do later.

Or the other way around, Amelie adds. He gives us the chocolates now, and we are loud later anyway.

Her dad is coming back with the chocolates. I don’t think so, he says. You promised me you would be quiet. I am relying on that.

It is clear that Amelie and Amos do not want