New Children’s Book, Roger Rides Route 66 By PJ Phillips, Celebrates The Centenary Of America’s Mother Road

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, join the world’s most famous retired circus elephant on an unforgettable cross-country motorcycle trip in Roger Rides Route 66 by PJ Phillips, an officially endorsed children’s adventure celebrating the centennial of America’s Mother Road!

The beloved children’s book series “Roger the Elephant” welcomes its most thrilling installment yet with Roger Rides Route 66. Created by writer Pete “PJ” Phillips and brought to life through the charming illustrations of Sara Jearally, the series captures the hearts of young readers and adults alike.

The character of Roger originated as an imaginary traveling companion during a real-life motorcycle trip to Turkey planned by Phillips and Jearally. While documenting their journey on the YouTube channel “The Unconventional Retiree,” the concept for Roger—a retired, world-famous circus elephant who travels the globe visiting old friends—blossomed into an ongoing children’s picture book series published through Wondrous Books.

Animals love performing for people, but over the years, society has realized that circus animals can experience much more freedom and fun living in the wild with their friends and family. As a result, characters like Roger have retired from the circus. Now, Roger spends his time spinning an antique globe to decide where to go next, traveling around the world, visiting old friends he previously made, and getting up to all sorts of delightful mischief along the way.

Hitting the Open Road for the Route 66 Centenary

Released to coincide with the 2026 centennial year of America’s legendary Route 66—also known famously as “The Mother Road”—the new book features Roger teaming up with his old pal Phileas Hogg. Departing from Chicago on Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the adventurous duo rides all the way to Santa Monica, California, experiencing a series of unforgettable milestones along the way.

The official Route 66 Centennial Committee has endorsed and certified Roger Rides Route 66 with Phileas Hogg as an official part of the milestone one-hundred-year anniversary celebrations taking place this year.

Young readers follow along eagerly as Roger and Phileas encounter giant roadside dinosaur statues, tackle the massive, ceiling-high Monster Burger challenge at Mr D’z Diner, go white-water rafting through the breathtaking walls of the Grand Canyon, and help clear a major road-blocking landslide to save the day for local school buses, drivers, and police officers.

Blending Education with Entertainment for Young Minds

Designed for children ages 5 to 9, the book pairs vibrant full-color illustrations with core developmental themes such as friendship, curiosity, problem-solving, and helping others.

Dipping into any of these delightfully written and charmingly illustrated tales provides a wonderful way to fuel a child’s creativity and love for reading. Whether they are practicing their very first words, mastering spelling challenges, or splashing color onto the pages, these books successfully blend education with endless entertainment. They offer curious minds and active hands the ideal focus for the summer months, while also serving as the perfect centerpiece for cozy bedtime storytelling.

To enhance the reading experience further, the book includes:

• Roger’s Fun Facts: A dedicated section featuring real-world history and trivia about Route 66, landmark attractions, and the Grand Canyon.
• Interactive Elements: Hidden star symbols embedded throughout the story that lead readers to bonus facts at the end of the book.
• Companion Materials: Alongside the main story, the creative team has released supplementary spelling books, activity sheets, and coloring books designed to encourage creativity and fine motor skills. Children love talking about the pictures, describing scenes before colouring them independently, leading to focused, bright, and eye-catching results.

The Inspiring Journey of Author PJ Phillips

The inspiration behind Roger the Elephant stems deeply from the life and recent adventures of his creator, author Pete “PJ” Phillips. Brought up in a small Scottish village called Crossford, close to Lanark, Pete always dreamed of traveling the world, though he initially never thought he would get to visit over 40 countries.

After turning 60, Pete decided a major new adventure was in order. He bought a Voge R125 and learned how to ride. Four months later, he was taking his A1 bike test on a 650. Just two weeks later—after passing two tests—he purchased his Voge DS900X, affectionately naming her “Jazzy Kasi.” After a month of learning to handle Kasi, he felt ready to embark on his epic ride to Turkey. That journey ultimately gave birth to Roger the Elephant, transitioning from an imaginary travel companion into a thriving children’s literature franchise.

Exciting Future Plans for the Series

The success of the picture books has opened doors to further expansion. Bumblebee Books holds the rights to two upcoming titles in the series, Roger Goes Home and Roger Visits Father Christmas, both slated for release this year.

Additionally, author Pete Phillips and illustrator Sara Jearally are collaborating with LA-based TV producer Bryan Taw via Voyage Media to adapt the “Roger the Elephant” universe into a children’s television show, bringing the retired circus elephant’s global mischief to the screen. With a growing lineup of books, coloring editions, fun fact guides, and a potential TV show on the horizon, Roger the Elephant is ready to keep spinning his globe for generations of young readers to come.

Find more from PJ Phillips now:

Kindle: https://amzn.to/4xxS6Rz

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4htUkNh

Young readers can follow along with “Roger the Elephant’ adventures here: linktr.ee/rogercircuselephant