A sweet, if somewhat wordy, story about a boy who is adopted by two dads and has some difficulties adjusting to his new home.
Lester is excited about being adopted by Daddy Albert and Daddy Rich. He’d visited them a lot from the group home where he lived, but it took a whole year for them to complete the paperwork for his adoption.
At his new home, we see Lester still clinging to habits that speak of a hard life in foster care, such as wanting to keep his toys in his suitcase “in case anyone comes to hurt me.” Late every night, he would tiptoe past their dog, Wincka, and stand with his suitcase by his dads’ bed. The dads try to comfort him and give him a snack, but they don’t know (and Lester doesn’t express) what he really wants: to climb into bed between them and feel safe.
His dads had spent a lot of time preparing a room just for Lester, and they knew from their experience with Wincka that it was hard to break the habit of letting a creature into your bed once it started. They therefore usher Lester back to his own bed every night, although they talk thoughtfully with him about their family plans and about his friends at the center. Being all in bed together was a special treat for Sunday mornings, they insist.
The late nights take their toll on the dads, until one day, Daddy Albert “booms” at Lester that he must sleep in his own bed. Lester cries, “very, very frightened by the angry screaming face of his new Daddy Albert.” Albert realizes immediately what he is doing, and hugs Lester, asking him gently to tell him the problem. Lester explains that he is scared to be alone, and worries that someone will come to take him in the middle of the night.
The dads listen, but don’t know what to do—and then Wincka goes into Lester’s room and lies down on his bed. Lester joins her, finally comforted. His dads reflect that Lester will soon settle in and make friends, although that is sometimes hard in a new place. Indeed, Lester soon seems more at ease, enjoying the special Sunday mornings, meeting new cousins, and welcoming a new grandma (Rich’s mother), and her cat, who come to live with them. He is finally “home at last.”
While the book is on the wordy side, the story thoughtfully acknowledges some of the tough moments of transition that adopted children may face. One scene marks it as a slightly older (2016) work, however: We learn that Lester’s parents died in a car crash, and that he lived with his grandmother until she got sick, then moved to the children’s center. Daddy Albert observes, “He must think it’s really odd to end up with two fathers.” Even though Daddy Rich assuringly responds, “Well, we are very good fathers,” the “really odd” sentiment feels dated. Nevertheless, the book may provide helpful assurance to both adopted children and their new parents.
