Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead by Jacqueline Harvey

Title: Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead

Author: Jacqueline Harvey

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Puffin

Published: 7^th May 2019, first published 2011

Format: Paperback

Pages: 304

Price: $1699

Synopsis: The tiny girl has TWO schools to save in this awfully lovely adventure.

The tiny girl has TWO schools to save in this awfully lovely adventure.

Alice-Miranda is thrilled to be back at school, where the girls are preparing a play with the neighbouring boys’ school. But it’s not all glitter and stage lights: there are rumours of a witch in the woods, and Jacinta and Millie are clashing with a rude new student, Sloane, and her pushy mother, September. September Sykes wants to win her family the fortune she’s sure it deserves, but her scheme could end in disaster. When Alice-Miranda learns of the plot, she knows just how to set things right.

~*~

Alice-Miranda is back for her third adventure and second term at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies. And this time, she’s going to be in a school play that her school is working on with neighbouring boys’ school, Fayle School for Boys.

It’s not going to be smooth sailing for Alice-Miranda, because September Sykes, a scheming model has enrolled her daughter, Sloane at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies, and her son, Septimus at Fayles School for Boys. But she has ulterior motives that include getting her hands on the family fortune. But what lengths will she go to? And what does the witch in the woods have to do with it all? Our intrepid student will see to it that things work out!

The third Alice-Miranda book is filled with drama, both on and off the stage with scheming parents, snobbish students, naughty ponies, and of course, wonderful friendships with Millie and Jacinta. It explores the drama side of school, the plays that students act in at school, and the challenges of new people entering the school community. Sloane is quite the prickly, entitled character, which suits the story and her scheming. This series is after all about the characters being exposed to different people, places and situations that they might not like.

It is what makes the Alice-Miranda series work so well, and I liked the focus in this book on drama and interschool cooperation, as well as the expansion of Alice-Miranda’s world, including her new friends, Septimus and Lucas. There are also delightful hints to events in the previous book and an upcoming wedding that I am very much looking forward to reading about. It will create connections that will enhance the series as well. Everything is going well until someone tries to spark trouble. This is exactly what happens with Alice-Miranda, an obstacle to overcome that the kids can get involved in and call on very present, and very engaged parents to help out when needed.

And that’s another thing I love about this series. The adults are present, and they all have very different personalities. For the most part, they are likeable or become likeable during the book. There are exceptions of course. I always felt like I was on edge or on guard when September came around. In most kids book, both or one of the parents has always been done away with or are absent. It’s what allows the kids to go on their adventures! But in this series, adventures and fun abound even with lots of adults around. And it works so well in this Alice-Miranda book, there were times when I wondered of any of the teachers were helping the kids more than it was known.

There are always fun names that are either very long, or alliterative in these books as well. They play with themes and language well, making mystery accessible to younger middle grade readers. This is a great series, and I can’t wait to see where the rest of the series I am yet to read takes me.