The Dad Trap

William finds school difficult. He processes the world differently from many of his peers, and the noise, unpredictability and social pressures of everyday classroom life can quickly become overwhelming. His greatest source of comfort is his dad, who understands William’s passions (murder mysteries, stationery, reading and detective work) and provides the security and predictability he relies upon. When new pupil Florence arrives and is placed beside him, however, that sense of balance begins to shift. Florence is prickly, outspoken and seemingly determined not to befriend him.

The situation escalates when William and Florence discover that their fathers already know one another and then they discover that they are beginning to date. Faced with the alarming possibility of becoming part of the same family, the reluctant classmates join forces in a shared mission to sabotage the relationship before it can properly begin. Their increasingly elaborate schemes drive a lively narrative filled with comic mishaps, misunderstandings and moments of gleeful chaos that will strongly appeal to readers in upper Key Stage Two.

Eagleton’s story offers a contemporary reworking of the familiar parent-trap premise, grounded firmly in the realities of modern primary school life. Alongside the humour sits thoughtful and matter-of-fact representation of adoption, same-sex parenting, neurodiversity and children’s mental health. These elements are woven naturally into the narrative rather than positioned as issues to be solved, reflecting the diversity of experiences children encounter in today’s classrooms.

The novel moves at a brisk pace, mirroring the busyness and emotional intensity of school life, though at times the level of detail (particularly lists of books and references) slightly interrupts the flow of the central plot. Shifts into extracts from William’s dad’s writing may initially feel confusing, but their narrative purpose becomes clearer as the story develops and ultimately adds emotional depth.

At its heart, The Dad Trap is less about preventing change than learning to navigate it. Eagleton combines humour with genuine empathy, exploring friendship, family dynamics and the anxieties that accompany new relationships. The result is an engaging, accessible and distinctly modern middle-grade novel that balances laughter with emotional understanding, offering readers both entertainment and reassurance.