Alice-Miranda Shows the Way by Jacqueline Harvey

Title: Alice-Miranda Shows the Way

Author: Jacqueline Harvey

Genre: Mystery/Fiction

Publisher: Puffin

Published: 16^th July 2019/1^st August 2012

Format: Paperback

Pages: 368

Price: $16.99

Synopsis: It’s a race to the finish as Winchesterfield gets set for the annual show.

Alice-Miranda has a birthday to celebrate, and a village show to look forward to! One of the highlights of the Winchesterfield show is the Queen’s Cup horserace. But Aunty Gee’s prize racehorse, Rockstar, is refusing to leave the stables. That is, until Alice-Miranda introduces him to her own naughty pony, Bonaparte.

Preparations for the show are coming along well until a series of thefts rocks the community. Things quickly go from bad to worse when Alice-Miranda’s beloved Bony is horse-napped. Can Alice-Miranda uncover the culprit and get her horse back in time for Rockstar to compete in the race?

~*~

It’s a big time for Alice-Miranda in the sixth book. She’s turning eight, there’s a carnival in town, and the Queen’s Cup horse race is being run! Alice-Miranda and Millie are getting ready to take part in some of the pairs work, but when Aunty Gee’s horse trainer is hurt, her prize racehorse, Rockstar won’t leave the stables. Until he meets Bonaparte, then they become inseparable.

There are whispers about the carnival folk who have set in in the fields near the race course. But Alice-Miranda thinks everyone is being too quick to judge, especially when she meets Fern and Tarquin, and sees how the owner, Alf and the other kids treat them. Soon though, things are going missing in the community, and Mrs Parker is running the show committee ragged with her demands and expectations for everyone to do all the jobs she needs done. She has very high expectations of everyone and wants to be in everyone’s business.

We’re back at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies for another term, and another mystery near and around the school. And we’re in for an interesting ride this time, literally. Mysteries abound and as the novel goes on, Alice-Miranda makes new friends, and we get to know more about Sloane and Jacinta, and find out that sometimes, we can judge people before we know them. Or that two things can be true at once, and working out who is wrong and who is being put in positions they don’t want to be in is something the girls need to work our together.

Fern and her brother Tarquin are a mystery in themselves. They come across as reluctant to let anyone in. It’s the mystery about them and their family that drives part of the story as Alice-Miranda works hard to find out what is going on, and works out a way to help Mrs Parker. Even if she’s a busybody who gets into everyone’s business and seems to know what is happening with Jacinta’s family before anyone else does. They’re a mystery that Alice-Miranda, and any curious child, would want to solve. It’s the wonder and unknown that draws Alice-Miranda to them, wanting to help them and become their friend, because she’s the kind of person who does things like that. She makes sure everyone feels welcomed, because she genuinely wants to get to know them and wants to see the best in everyone. As well as getting to the bottom of her funny feelings and the mysteries that spark them. This is such a fun series to do this with, because it teaches children about different ways of living and to have empathy for people.

These and many more secrets make the novel work well, and add something really interesting to the series. It builds on what has come in the previous five books, and makes sure the story is wrapped up succinctly but with a hint that we might meet some of the secondary and new characters again. It might not be right away, but there is the sense that Fern and Tarquin will always have a special place in Alice-Miranda’s heart, because she looks out for everyone in her life and community. This is a great addition to the Alice-Miranda series!