Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room by Hugh Bonneville

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✦ BLURB ✦

Rory Sparkes is a boy with a head full of dreams. He might become a strongman and travel the world with the circus. Or he might try to make it as a cowboy - that would be a fan-tas-tic second best. Although at the moment he'd settle for missing his maths lesson and making his torch work properly.

As he plots to help his best friend, Guy, earn enough money to buy the latest top-of-the-line model boat (so they can set sail for South America), the circus rolls into town and everything spirals out of control. With Guy needing help doing odd jobs for the terrifying Madame Lowe, and with Clare, Rory's annoying older sister, planning a dastardly prank, will Rory's plans ever work out? Let's see ...

Filled with brilliantly funny illustrations from Lorretta Schauer.

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PRE-READING THOUGHTS
With the circus coming to town and a boy hero who wants adventure more than maths lessons, I expected a zany, slightly anarchic children’s book in the style of Walliams or classic Dahl, with plenty of humor and mischief.

POST-READING
✨ As I thought… funny, inventive, and a little chaotic, with day-to-day scrapes that feel larger than life through Rory’s perspective.
✨ It surprised me by… tying together what first felt like disconnected adventures into a really satisfying conclusion. By the end, every thread clicked into place beautifully.

MUSIC PAIRING
🎵 Featured Song: “Entry of the Gladiators” — playful, mischievous, and just a little overwhelming, perfect for a circus adventure
🎶 Vibe Album: The Ultimate Kids Party Album — lighthearted, silly energy to match the book’s tone

VIBE CHECK
🎨 Colour Palette: bright red, circus yellow, grass green
🎼 Soundtrack: calliope music with a dash of pratfall sound effects
☀️ Season: summer holidays, with long days to get into mischief
😄 Mood: cheeky chaos
🍿 Scent: popcorn, sawdust, and just a whiff of elephant

TAROT PULL
🎈 Page of Wands (Kids’ Tarot) — eager, curious, and ready for adventure, even if it gets messy.
The Page of Wands embodies Rory’s boundless energy, optimism, and adventurous spirit. He’s ready to dive into every new challenge, whether it’s helping a friend, outwitting his sister, or navigating circus chaos, reminding us that curiosity and courage are the first steps toward every great adventure.

FOR FANS OF
📚 David Walliams’ The Boy in the Dress
📺 Matilda: The Musical (film version)

🃏 The deck had opinions: [The Star] — [Evie's hopes for the future of Donna the elephant]

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