Colin Joins the Circus

By Merv Lambert

How does Sammy save the day, when Colin loses the magic bookmark at the circus, and when they are all trapped in the lion's cage complete with lion? Who is haunted by the phantom skateboard? How does Colin turn a fearsome gang-leader into Mr. Wobbly Man? How does he save his family by going back to a witch-trial in the seventeenth century? What amazing discovery do Olivia and Colin make regarding their daughter, Baby Charlotte? Read on to find out…

• Language: English
• Publisher: AUK Kids
• Release date: Sep 28, 2011
• ISBN: 9781849896795

Book preview

1988.

Colin Joins the Circus

Olivia was away in Liverpool with Auntie Flo, who was moving house and wanted some help in choosing new curtains and furniture. M had also gone there to stay with Billy and Jilly.

When he was a very little boy, Colin had never really liked circuses. Now he was older his opinion was about to change. He had not intended to go there. He had felt tired after a long day working at the library, and just before he fell asleep in his armchair with Sammy on his lap he must have accidentally turned to the wrong page in his special book. The bookmark seemed to pulse an alarm, but too late! Colin, now wide awake, looked down at himself and saw that he was wearing a brightly coloured clown’s costume with abnormally long, floppy shoes, and then his hand brushed against a rather stiff wig of long red hair.

Oh, no! he gulped. I don’t like this, Sammy.

The little dog was already sniffing around a large pole holding up the enormous tent known as the Big Top.

As he gazed around his surroundings, Colin’s thoughts were interrupted by a shout.

Hey you, Droopy!

Colin turned, pointed at himself and mouthed the word, Me? He saw that the person shouting at him was a tall thin man, also dressed as a clown with a painted white face, but wearing a smarter kind of uniform with harlequin diamonds on it and topped off by a hat that resembled a small white traffic cone.

Yes, you, Droopy! Get over here! You’re needed for the car rehearsal.

Colin wandered over to where a young woman, also in a clown’s outfit like his own and with a clown’s painted face, had just pushed a very comical open-topped car into the circus ring.

She looked familiar and seemed friendly enough. Then Colin realised that it was his new wife Olivia.

Hello. What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in Liverpool with Auntie Flo.

Well, I’m not. We’re here to stand in for my cousin Suzanna and her boyfriend."

Sammy licked Olivia’s hand

Is he part of the act? asked Colin.

"I don’t see why not. Listen carefully though. We’ve got a lot to do ready for tonight’s show. First you come in, flop around looking daft, do a funny run to the car, and, as I drive it into the ring, you dive into the back. I drive round and then you pick up that bucket over there. You pretend to throw water out of it onto the audience in the nearest seats, but they only get covered in stars made out of glitter paper. Then I drive round to that pretend petrol-pump and Bozo - that’s Suzanna’s brother by the way, who was shouting at you - he threatens to empty a bucket over you. You pretend to crease up laughing and point at the bucket you emptied over there, showing everyone that you will be doused in paper stars…but…and it is a big but…while I ‘m pretending to fill the car with petrol, you keep on laughing and pointing at the buckets and Bozo until he tips his bucket over you. I have to warn you. It’ll be real water in his bucket! You collapse into the car again looking amazed and horrified. We drive out and swerve round the lion-tamer’s cage as it is being driven into the ring."

Oh, said Colin. As simple as that!

Yes, smiled Olivia. Only beware of Bozo. His real name is Xristope and he doesn’t like you. He doesn’t like me, or even Suzanna his sister. He doesn’t like anyone except himself.

Great! groaned Colin. What a charmer! He patted his little dog. Never mind, Sammy boy, we’ll give it a go, eh? Throwing out his chest dramatically he announced, Let the rehearsal commence!

Oi! came a voice from outside the ring. "I give the orders round here! It was Bozo or Xristophe, Suzanna’s nasty big brother. He strode into the ring and stood next to the petrol-pump. Get on with it then!"

The next forty-five minutes passed very quickly for Colin, as