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 …