Pupils at Beaudesert Park School had a day to remember when Paddington and Downton star Hugh Bonneville visited to launch his new children’s book, Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room.
The children fired off hilarious questions, including “how loud do you think an elephant’s fart is?” and “did you really put a tarantula on your face in Paddington in Peru?” Hugh handled it all with his trademark charm, saying, “I have had the best day at Beaudesert Park School. I love the energy and enthusiasm that children bring to these events.”
The book follows Rory and his friend Guy as they try to earn money to buy a model sailboat they hope to sail all the way to South America. Bonneville is visiting schools across Gloucestershire with The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop to inspire young readers.
Headmaster Chris Searson said, “Author visits are a brilliant way to spark a child’s passion for reading, and Hugh needs no introduction. We are exceptionally lucky to have had him with us.”
Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room, written by Hugh Bonneville and illustrated by Loretta Schauer, is now available from Bloomsbury Children’s Books.
Beaudesert Park School is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 3–13 years old, located in Gloucestershire.
