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Alice-Miranda at School (Alice-Miranda #1)

by Jacqueline Harvey (Goodreads Author)

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 286 ratings · 70 reviews

Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennigton-Jones can't wait to start boarding school. When she arrives at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies, the adventure begins . . . only not quite as Alice-Miranda expects. The minute she sets foot on the school's manicured grounds, she senses that something is wrong: Miss Grimm, the headmistress, is nowhere to be...more

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Published February 1st 2010 by Random House Australia

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Sep 06, 2011 Speakercoret rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: siapapun yang suka cerita anak2 :)

Shelves: indonesian, kids, punya-sendiri

3,5*

gadis kecil mungil berambut cokelat keriting dan bermata sebulat pisin

Namanya Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, umurnya baru tujuh seperempat tahun, murid baru di Akademi Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale untuk Perempuan Muda Baik-baik, tapi kelakuan dan cara bicaranya tidak seperti anak tujuh tahun. Setiap melihat orang disekitarnya ada yang bersedih, marah, kesal, dia akan melakukan apapun yang dia bisa untuk membuat orang itu bahagia kembali.. Dia percaya diri, pandai bicara dan p...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Barb Middleton rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic

I am not sure how to write about this book. It is so utterly unbelievable it is more like a fairy tale cloaked in a realistic story. Or maybe it is a parody of British boarding schools. The repetition in the story reminds me of beginning chapter books for emerging readers (grades 2-3) but the bullying seems older and the narrator is a first grader who sounds more mature than most adults. She is a genius but developmentally too advanced for her age. So... let the fairy tale begin...

Once upon a ti...more I am not sure how to write about this book. It is so utterly unbelievable it is more like a fairy tale cloaked in a realistic story. Or maybe it is a parody of British boarding schools. The repetition in the story reminds me of beginning chapter books for emerging readers (grades 2-3) but the bullying seems older and the narrator is a first grader who sounds more mature than most adults. She is a genius but developmentally too advanced for her age. So... let the fairy tale begin...

Once upon a time there was a 7-year-old who had the wisdom and vocabulary of a 70-year-old. She called a boarding school because she wanted to go there and was accepted even though her parents weren't ready and sobbed when they dropped her off. While walking around the school she met three adults all having problems and unhappy with their work situations. Like the good witch in Oz, she waved her wand (figuratively), and fixed their problems using mummy and daddy's money. When she meets the class bully, she can't seem to fix her, but she handles her with self-control and the maturity of an adult. The headmistress is also unhappy and takes issue with the little poppet that grows happiness around her like a field of poppies. The headmistress makes the smiling 7-year-old girl go through a series of unfair tests (a 3 hour SAT type test) which she does with the smile and joy of a saint. Will the poppet pass the tests and charm Miss Grimm, the headmistress, like she has everyone else?

Everything in the plot is unbelievable. So much so it is funny. It reminded me of the Willoughby's but not as extreme or with as many references to literature which is why I'm not sure if the author intended it that way or not. I think so. Maybe if I was British I would see more connections or more of a savvy reader.

The writing uses repetition of plot elements that will help a young reader but the vocabulary is higher than normally found in this type of book. It might be good for a high reader in grades 2 or 3, but the target audience is grade 4. The setting is in England with English vocabulary such as poppet - I love that word. The adults use that word when referring to Alice-Miranda, the 7-year-old, who works her magic on those around her making them happy.

The characters don't change internally. Alice-Miranda is always good and always says the right thing. the bully is one-dimensional and bosses everyone around because she's rich and thinks she owns everything at the boarding school. Alice-Miranda does wonder why she is this way but the reader never finds out. The headmistress changes internally. There is no great depth to the characters' thoughts and the plot is predictable. I actually enjoyed more of the outrageous and imaginative plot twists because they were so out there. Make sure to park disbelief on the table before picking up this book.

Discussions can surround themes of how to deal with being rich, dealing with bulllies, and sinning people over with compliments. The happy ending is going to please most young readers.

Reading Level 4.6(less)

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Apr 27, 2012 LH Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-literature, school-stories, series

It's Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones' first term at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy For Proper Young Ladies and it's all a little bit peculiar. The headmistress hasn't been seen for ten years, there's no flowers in the garden, and the staff are on the edge of a nervous breakdown. And, when Alice-Miranda is set a series of impossible tasks that she must pass in order to stay in school, it becomes very clear that there's something a bit rotten in the state of Denmark and it's up...more It's Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones' first term at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy For Proper Young Ladies and it's all a little bit peculiar. The headmistress hasn't been seen for ten years, there's no flowers in the garden, and the staff are on the edge of a nervous breakdown. And, when Alice-Miranda is set a series of impossible tasks that she must pass in order to stay in school, it becomes very clear that there's something a bit rotten in the state of Denmark and it's up to Alice-Miranda to discover what.

I'm a big fan of school stories so I was excited to discover the Alice-Miranda books. It's written by an australian author - Jacqueline Harvey - and is the first of a contracted ten book series (the next four are already available).

School stories are, I think, a bit of a difficult genre to write these days. They're a little bit archaic and either require a bit of JK Rowling up (chuck in a load of spells and emphasise the fantastical nature of the story) or a bit of Jacqueline Wilson type social commentary (emphasis very much on the 'reality' of life for these children caught in this unreal state).

There is a third option however: you can embrace the school story and write something that is very much aware of what it is. This is Alice-Miranda. I loved the self-aware nature of this book; how the headmistress was An Ogre With A Secret, how the Bad Tempered Girl Was Really A Good Egg, and how the cook Baked Luscious Cakes. Alice-Miranda is most unapologetic in what it is and I did love it for this.

Harvey writes with a fast, breezy style that I think would work well with the nines and under. Alice-Miranda at School is 261 pages and has 40 chapters which makes for a swift, and achievable read. It's also very nicely structured and Harvey has several of her chapters follow a similar pattern (ie: encounter, resolution, coda) which introduces a strong rhythm into the book. I'd imagine this might be a book that could work very nicely into being read aloud.

Alice-Miranda herself is lovely. And she does make you smile. I loved how she was very much herself throughout and, even though the Alice-Miranda version of 'herself' is rather extraordinary, enjoyed the positive message this would send to a reader.

I always think it's good if, when reading a book, I know exactly who I'd give this to. And with Alice-Miranda, I knew from day one. It's going to a girl who's exhausted the Malory Towers and St Clare's books - and is boarding school obsessed.

And just to clarify that girl is not me :D(less)

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Oct 31, 2011 Brooke Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alice-Miranda at School is a cute story about a spunky girl who’s seven-and-a-quarter, not quite old enough to attend Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies. This, and her brazen, curious personality, changes the school forever. Finding the state of the school entirely unacceptable, she faces off with the headmistress, Miss Grimm, who hasn’t been seen on campus for ten years, she befriends the second best tantrum thrower of the school, and touches the heart of every staff...more Alice-Miranda at School is a cute story about a spunky girl who’s seven-and-a-quarter, not quite old enough to attend Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies. This, and her brazen, curious personality, changes the school forever. Finding the state of the school entirely unacceptable, she faces off with the headmistress, Miss Grimm, who hasn’t been seen on campus for ten years, she befriends the second best tantrum thrower of the school, and touches the heart of every staff member other than the headmistress in her first week at school.

I really enjoyed reading about Alice-Miranda’s adventures, but I did have a few issues. The book is intended for younger readers, ages nine to twelve, but it reads much younger, like a beginning chapter book might. The book is ninety-percent dialogue, and everything happens rather quickly (for a younger reader, however, the pacing is perfect). Another problem I had was with Alice-Miranda. I loved her spunky attitude, but she was entirely too perfect. She has a loving family, lots of money, she can befriend pretty much anyone with a smile, she’s extremely smart, and she’s fearless. She doesn’t have a single flaw. While her curiosity gets her into trouble with the headmistress, I didn’t for a second think that she might fail the challenges ahead.

Alice-Miranda aside, the other characters, children and adults alike, all felt like real people I might meet, even with their somewhat silly names. Jacinta Headlington-Bear is the second best tantrum thrower and a phenomenal gymnast. Millicent Jane McLoughlin-McTavish-McNoughton-McGill, known as Millie, is Alice-Miranda’s roommate and supportive best friend (I liked her the most, I think). And then there’s Alice-Miranda’s enemy, Alethea Goldsworthy, the living definition of spoiled brat. While they had their conflicts, Alice-Miranda never lost her cool, and she always took the high road in their confrontations.

All in all, I enjoyed reading the book. It made me giggle all the way through. It’s something I would recommend for younger readers, as young as six and seven. None of the vocabulary is too difficult, and there are several interesting facts sprinkled into the book’s pages. If I ever have a little bookworm girl, this will be one of the first chapter books I’ll have her read.(less)

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Sep 29, 2011 Elle Faye rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read this after seeing on a shelf in a book store. The cover looked pretty interesting, so I picked it up and decided to give it a review.
Okay, before I start with flaws in this book, let me tell you the good bit.
It was nice to see a positive character as the lead, and I thought that was refreshing. Alice is cheerful, kind little girl who loves to help others, even if they are totally mean to her. It was lovely to read about someone who wouldn't give up at the first hint of trouble, and trie...more I read this after seeing on a shelf in a book store. The cover looked pretty interesting, so I picked it up and decided to give it a review.
Okay, before I start with flaws in this book, let me tell you the good bit.
It was nice to see a positive character as the lead, and I thought that was refreshing. Alice is cheerful, kind little girl who loves to help others, even if they are totally mean to her. It was lovely to read about someone who wouldn't give up at the first hint of trouble, and tries her best until the end.

But there were also alot of things I didn't like about this novel.
I thought Alice Miranda was a little TOO perfect. She doesn't seem to have any flaws at all. She smart (nearly genious), happy all the time, has her parents wrapped around her little finger (the way they kept bugging her about whether she wanted to come home or not got really annoying), everyone else loves her too (and if anyone doesn't like her then their brats or they've misunderstood her), she's rich, she's popular (imagine being asked to be head girl at age 7!), she's pretty and dainty too, and just overall totally unrealistic.
I like to relate to my main characters somehow, but I couldn't really relate to Alice Miranda. I've never met anyone like Alice Miranda, let alone a 7 year old child. She doesn't seem to be human. She has virtually no flaws at all.
It's not normal to be happy ALL the time - sorry, but it isn't. It kind of got irksome reading about a character who didn't seem to have any other emotions aside from being cheerful/sweet/or nosy - I mean determined. (Come on, she does seem a little nosy - I mean, what kind of person crawls into a random person car and introduces herself expecting the other person to be okay with it? A little creepy...)

Also, the writing seemed to be little too simple at times - not really for most 12 year olds like myself, but more like 5-8 year olds. There wasn't much description either - I'd say 80% of this book was pretty much dialogue.
The story being too face paced didn't help much either - although the plot was interesting, it felt kind of rushed.
These series have alot of potential - I hope the author improves her writing in her future stories. This (as well as the main character) is the reason I'm giving this story two stars.

That being said, I loved the other characters - like Jacinta Headlington Bear, and Millie Mc-Something (can't remember her name). Especailly Jacinta. I can't wait to read more about in the next books! I already have Alice Miranda on Holiday and Alice Miranda takes the lead!

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Jul 25, 2011 Haji rated it 4 of 5 stars

Baca buku ini serasa menikmati awal-awal sekolah dasar. Maksud saya, membaca buku sejenis ini. tetapi buku ini tetap bagus, mengulas kebiasaan di sekolah .... untuk perempuan baik-baik . Walaupun penulis tidak menggambarkan penuh detail sekolahnya, berapa luas sekolahnya, dan tidak mengeluarkan peta sekolahnya, sedikit hambar untuk imajinasiku. tetapi akan terasa menyenangkan ketika bertemu 'sebenarnya' dengan seorang anak kecil yang terus berpikir positif, dan luar biasa memeberikan semangat ke...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Pratita Kusuma rated it 4 of 5 stars

I Just love love love love alice-miranda and her positive energy...every leader should read this one.

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Jan 21, 2012 Aleetha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: terjemahan, name-in-a-book-challenge-2012, middle-grade, 2012, available-for-swap

Karakter yang diciptakan dengan banyak kelebihan hingga nyaris sempurna sering kali membuat dahi berkerut. Gambaran betapa istimewa dan beruntungnya mereka kerap kali membuat saya tidak dapat menikmati kisah yang tertuang dalam buku tersebut. Bukannya iri tapi lebih karena keberadaan mereka terlalu indah untuk menjadi kenyaatan. Bahkan di buku sekalipun. Namun pengecualian untuk Alice-Miranda At School. Buku yang bercerita tentang anak perempuan yang berusia tujuh tahun di Sekolah Akademi Winche...more Karakter yang diciptakan dengan banyak kelebihan hingga nyaris sempurna sering kali membuat dahi berkerut. Gambaran betapa istimewa dan beruntungnya mereka kerap kali membuat saya tidak dapat menikmati kisah yang tertuang dalam buku tersebut. Bukannya iri tapi lebih karena keberadaan mereka terlalu indah untuk menjadi kenyaatan. Bahkan di buku sekalipun. Namun pengecualian untuk Alice-Miranda At School. Buku yang bercerita tentang anak perempuan yang berusia tujuh tahun di Sekolah Akademi Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Untuk Perempuan Muda Baik-Baik bisa saya lahap dengan mudah, tanpa sekali pun memutar mata karena kesempurnaan yang dimilikinya.

Namun kalau dipikir-pikir lagi, sempurna bukan kata yang tepat.Semua sikap dan kebiasaan Alice- Miranda cenderung masuk kekategori janggal untuk anak sesuainya. Lihat saja bagaimana keputusan Alice-Miranda untuk memulai kehidupannya di sekolah berasrama di usianya yang belum genap delapan tahun. Belum lagi sikap mandiri dan rasa optimis yang dimilikinya. Anak perempuan yang menghabiskan liburan bersama orang tuanya di banyak tempat terkenal ini tidak mengenal kata egois. Ia tak sekalipun merasa terganggu ketika mendapat reaksi yang tidak menyenangkan dari orang-orang yang baru dikenalnya ketika ia mencoba bersikap ramah. Alice-Miranda juga tidak sekalipun menyimpan dendam untuk semua perlakuan yang tidak pantas.

Berbicara masalah kecerdasan, jangan menganggapnya sepele. Di usinya yang baru tujuh seperempat tahun ,ia dengan mudah menglafalkan keenak nama istri Raja Henry VIII dan mengerjakan pembagian yang panjang dan rumit. Bahkan diceritakan ia paham Sejarah Romawi dan Mesir Kuno bahkan Perang Dunia Kedua sekalipun. Mengertikan mengapa saya menyebutnya sempurna? Namun seperti yang saya sebut sebelumnya, kesempurnaan anak perempuan yang tidak mengenal kata menyerah, tidak menjadi penghalang untuk menikmati kisah yang ditulis sangat ringan. Setidaknya konflik di buku ini masih membuat saya penasaran. Alice-Miranda sepertinya memang punya magnet, sehingga semua hal itu tidak menjadi masalah besar. Magnet itu juga yang mungkin menjadikan tokoh-tokoh lain menyukainya. Kecuali Miss Grimm dan Alethea tentunya.

Masih seputar karakter di buku ini,terkecuali Alice-Miranda, Jacqueline Harvey menciptakan katakter-karakter lain dengan sangat baik. Semua karakter punya ciri khas tersendiri yang membedakannya dengan yang lain. Sebut saja Miss Higgins sang Sekretaris sekolah, Jacinta-tukang ngamuk terhebat nomor dua sesekolah, Millie-teman sekamarnya Alice-Miranda, Mr Charles si tukang kebun, Mrs Oliver ataupun Mrs Smith yang menjadi juru masak. Alethea dan Miss Grimm yang menjadi tokoh antagonis pun masuk hitungan. Mereka berdua memainkan peran dengan sangat baik.

Beralih ke hal-hal yang sedikit menganggu sehingga buku ini hanya saya beri empat bintang. Pertama, pemilihan nama untuk Alice-Miranda. Mengapa harus menyandingkan dua nama dan menjadikannya panggilan untuk sang karakter utama? Mengapa tidak memilih satu nama saja? Memanggilnya dengan Alice menurut saya cukup. Kedua, mengenai tes menjelajahi alam bebas, yang selanjutnya disebut hutan, selama lima hari lamanya. Semua juga tahu hutan bukan tempat yang aman untuk anak-anak. Terlebih lagi tanpa pengawasan orang dewasa. Bahkan ketika kawasan hutan itu terletak disekitar asrama. Anehnya tidak ada protes dari ayah dan ibu Alice-Miranda yang dari awal terlihat sangat memanjakan anaknya.

Namun terlepas dari semua keanehan itu, saya memutuskan untuk tetap membaca kelanjutan seri Alice-Miranda. Saya juga merekomendasikan buku ini sebagai bacaan untuk anak-anak usia sekolah dasar ataupun pendidikan menengah. Alice-Miranda dicetak dengan font yang cukup besar rasanya cocok untuk pembaca pemula.

Cover dan Ilustrasi
Tidak ada perbedaan besar antara cover asli dan cover terbitan Little K. Alice-Miranda terlihat lucu di sampul depan. Untuk ilistrasi yang ada di dalam buku, menurut saya kurang banyak. Apalagi jika buku ini ditujukan sebagai bacaan Middle-Grade.
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Apr 04, 2012 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kids-books-i-would-recommend, 2012

I liked the atmosphere of the story and the slow unveiling of the mystery. Alice-Miranda was cute enough, though I found her annoyingly precocious - and also just a bit annoying in general. "Oh yes, I learned that fact when Mummy and I were lunching with the prime ministers/princes/assorted nobility of various countries, and all of them wanted to make me their queen/mascot/Miss Preteen Universe contestant." Okay, not really that bad, but the "I have experienced it all by the age of 7 & 1/4"...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Ella marked it as to-read

This book is really great you should read it.

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Mar 04, 2012 Y rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-young-adult, boarding-school, school, action-adventure, cover-made-me-read-it

Picked this up because the cover art was adorable (always a valid reason when choosing books to read...).

Part the first: I found it in the juvenile section of the library, but in all honesty, the writing seems to be geared for readers of a much younger age, maybe between five and seven. Anyone older than that would probably prefer something with meatier details and more complex sentences, and yet, the book seems rather lengthy for the age group this book seems to be targeting. I don't know! The...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Screenplaydiva rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith Kennington-Jones may be quite a mouthful, but don’t let this pretentious name fool you because she’s anything but! At seven and three-quarters, Alice-Miranda is precocious and spirited and after reading her first adventure, ALICE-MIRANDA AT SCHOOL by Jacqueline Harvey, I want to carry her in my pocket for good cheer!

The little tyke is so excited about attending Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies, which has been a family tradition, that she e...more Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith Kennington-Jones may be quite a mouthful, but don’t let this pretentious name fool you because she’s anything but! At seven and three-quarters, Alice-Miranda is precocious and spirited and after reading her first adventure, ALICE-MIRANDA AT SCHOOL by Jacqueline Harvey, I want to carry her in my pocket for good cheer!

The little tyke is so excited about attending Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies, which has been a family tradition, that she enrolls a year early. Much to her beloved parents surprise, of course. But knowing Alice-Miranda and her desire to learn and make friends, they send her on her merry way with a skip in her step through the doors of the school. They tell her that if she needs anything or if she ends up having a terrible time, she can come home.

Alice-Miranda is not to be deterred in her mission to attend the school and quickly investigates the school campus and grounds. She meets Miss Higgins, the school secretary, Charlie, the gardener and Cook, who makes the most delicious brownies. But Alice-Miranda notices something right off the bat…they all seem sad. She’s extremely curious and wants to make everyone happy, including the headmistress, Miss Grimm, who just like her name wants nothing to do with any of the girls at school, especially, spunky Alice-Miranda. Yet underneath her rude and sharp behavior, Miss Grimm is a lonely woman who hides away her study from the world because of her past. But Alice-Miranda doesn’t let that stop her from discovering the truth about Miss Grimm. She also makes friends with her fellow classmates, including Millie who has just as long of last name. She also makes an enemy of the school mean girl, Alethea who’s bossy, spoiled and downright dreadful! Through it all, Alice-Miranda finds a way to make things right and do the right thing.

She loves school, learning about new things, and meeting new people, including bringing joy and smiles to everyone at school as well as the reader. Author Jacqueline Harvey drew on her experiences working at an all-girls school which gave her the inspiration for her book series. If you are lucky enough to live in Australia where Harvey and Alice-Miranda lives, there are several Alice-Miranda books available. In the US and UK only ALICE-MIRANDA is on bookshelves. Drats! However, on April 13th, ALICE-MIRANDA ON VACATION (or on Holiday, if you are in the UK or Australia) will be released.

ALICE-MIRANDA AT SCHOOL is just as charming, delightful and funny as its protagonist. The novel is filled with a few side plots that kept me turning the pages into the wee hours of the night and brought a tear to my eye at book’s end. As Millie says, three cheers for Alice-Miranda: Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray!

This review is reprinted from my blog, "That's Swell!" and is copyright of Reel Swell Productions.(less)

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Mar 05, 2013 Ellen Miller added it

I think this is a great book although as Barb said it is like a fairy tale. It would be brilliant if we could all be exceedingly good looking, miraculously popular, incredibly intelligent and to top it off RICH!!! But I do still enjoy this book because there is always a bit of mystery and intrigue and you, count on alice Miranda always discovering or unplugging plans.

Her parents seem to always smile and never tell her off. Which most parents seldom too.

Her first four books always have a differ...more

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Dec 02, 2011 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, boarding-school-fiction, schools-fiction, secrets-fiction, mysteries-detectives-fiction, grade-2, grade-3, grade-4, read-alouds

This was a light, fun, easy read. The main character, named Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones is a delight. At first, I thought she'd be so sweet and good it would make my teeth hurt and she is sweet and good but somehow my teeth survived. Alice-Miranda is the newbie at the Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies, a boarding school with more than a few mysteries. Alice-Miranda is determined to solve them all and make everyone happy. Can she? This book is thick by...more

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May 20, 2013 Rosie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Loved Alice Miranda as a character. She is such a happy and optimistic child that everyone can't help but love her. It was refreshing that her parents were nice and loved her too. Most books I read about this age group have parents who are absent or awful. She is a happy, mature kid, who sees the best in everyone and brings out the best in everyone. There is a bullying incident that was a little weird with the bully making Alice Miranda wash her hair with mineral water she ends up doing it knowi...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Crys (The Hodgenator) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-youth, childrens, youth-children, youth

Alice-Miranda is headed to boarding school, early. When she arrives, she finds that people are sad. So she does what Alice-Miranda does best, she offers them a smile and a solution to their sadness.

Harvey's tale of seven-year-old Alice-Miranda reminded me of a modern Pollyanna. She is smart, thoughtful, and full of positive energy.

I gave the book three stars because I found the positive energy a little too contrived throughout the first part of the novel. While I did not enjoy that aspect of it,...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Farisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Easy-read, bisa habis dibaca padahal cuma numpang di toko!

Font besar, tokoh-tokoh yang menarik, dan alur yang cepat bikin betah berlama-lama dengan buku ini.

Alice-Miranda masuk daftar tokoh anak-anak favorit saya. Cerdas, bawel, sigap, dan berdedikasi. Meskipun agak terlalu sempurna (nyaris kayak Sara Crew di Little Princess, tapi tanpa daya khayal kejauhan), Alice-Miranda yang umurnya belum genap delapan tahun ini punya pemikiran logis kayak orang dewasa. Suka sekali dengan sikap keras kepala...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Brett rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile-silly, juvenile-series

Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith Kennington-Jones is the kind of seven-year-old girl you'd just love to hate - if only you could. Her absolutely genuine, seemingly bottomless kindness to everyone she meets & her apparent immunity to the nastiness of others make you think you'd like to at least get sick from the sweetness, if not retaliate by pulling her hair, but she's just too genuine, & no one can help but fall absolutely in love with her. This is proved over & over at her new boarding...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Morag Gray rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Girls of 7-10 who like strong female characters

I'd like to give this 3 and a half. ALice-Miranda is a cheerful, clever, sympathetic seven-and-a-quarter year old who goes to boarding school for the first time. She notices there is something odd about the school, but she is not quite sure what. She puts her mind to it, and in her first half-term puts the school back on the right track.

Alice-Miranda is confident, capable, adorable, cheerful, clever, etc etc etc. In real life she would be unbearably irritating, but because she is never smug she...more

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Sep 10, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: extended-reviews

True rating: 4.5 stars.

In Alice-Miranda at School, the line is thin between the absurd and the realistic, but the book chooses to never fully become either, content as it is to splash frequently into the waters of both. There are times when you just about lose the sense that Alice-Miranda is a real girl and that Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy is a real school, but it never quite happens. Every character is (intentionally) just a bit off from real life, and yet not outside the realm of pos...more True rating: 4.5 stars.

In Alice-Miranda at School, the line is thin between the absurd and the realistic, but the book chooses to never fully become either, content as it is to splash frequently into the waters of both. There are times when you just about lose the sense that Alice-Miranda is a real girl and that Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy is a real school, but it never quite happens. Every character is (intentionally) just a bit off from real life, and yet not outside the realm of possibility. The same goes for the plot, which is driven by elements that might sink another book (like a seven year old giving orders to adult school personnel who in turn follow them), but here they actually help it stay afloat and increase its believability. (Although one of the storyline’s pivotal moments is clearly staged by the author. SPOILER ALERT: The man who saves A-M in the woods and who then plays a major role in the resolution is said to have just come to the school grounds. It would have been much better, and seemed less contrived, had he been living there a long time in, say, a ramshackle shack he had built in a secluded part of the woods and which Alice-Miranda stumbles upon during her trek. The author’s way of bringing the characters together is too much of a convenient coincidence to be believed.)

The slightly improbable plot and its slightly daft characters hold together because Alice-Miranda is one of the most winning, most unceasingly optimistic, roll with the punches character of any age I have encountered in the pages of a book. She is bright, insightful, decisive, charismatic, and compassionate. And precocious, so very precocious. She matter-of-factly goes about her business putting things and people to rights at her new school, and no obstacle – there are several of those – is too great for her indomitable spirit.

Alice-Miranda is a fun heroine to root for and Alice-Miranda at School a fun book to read. I am looking forward to following her adventures in the sequels!
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Mar 22, 2011 Terryann rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: slj-books-reviewed, kids

Harvey, Jacqueline. Alice-Miranda at School. Delacorte Press. April 2011. ISBN: 978-0-385-73993-1 $14.99. F

Gr. 2-4
Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones is going away to the Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies. At age seven-and-one-quarter, she's the youngest student in school. Alice-Miranda arrives and begins solving problems immediately, from the students' to the grounds keeper's to the cook's. When the headmistress, Miss Grimm, takes a disliking to the adorable...more

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Jul 13, 2011 Karen Arendt rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, friendship, middle-grade, school

(B&N) Alice-Miranda is a spunky character with the most optimistic outlook on everything. Reading the story, it is impossible to not be happy. Alice can't wait to start boarding school and begins early. Of course, she has to suffer through a bully, a headmistress who has locked herself away from her students due to a tragic event years before, and, of course, three unbelievable tests to prove that she belongs at the boarding school. In the process, Alice learns why Miss Grimm is so mean, def...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenge, early-chapter-bks

The Alice Miranda series came to via a young girl in Australia. She recommended I buy a copy for our library. The series is quite popular in Australia. Yes the book is overly sweet and everything is perfect, but in many ways it's a welcome relief to all the dismal stories in current vogue. A good series for girls enhanced with Ivy Bean or the fairy series.

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Feb 11, 2013 Koko Nata rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens

Ceritanya sih tentang kehidupan anak-anak di sekolah asrama gitu, tapi yang beda adalah karakter si tokoh utama: Alice-Miranda. Meskipun usianya masih 7 tahun, anak ini bersikap dewasa dan selalu berpikiran positif. Alice-Miranda dengan sikap berpikir positif dan kedewasaannya membawa perubahan di sekolah asrama yang baru saja ia masuki

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Mar 02, 2013 Helen Fairfield rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really sweet book (first in a series) for 7+ with a bit more depth than meets the eye. Alice-Miranda starts boarding school and solves all the adults' problems with her endless optimism and good nature.

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Jan 24, 2012 Sulis Langsing rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: buntelan, my-own, children

si Alice-Miranda ini menginggatkanku akan Polly Madasa (kalo ga salah) sama-sama sok dewasa dan suka mencampuri urusan orang lain, tapi lebih suka buku ini karena konfliknya lumayan banyak :))

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Sep 28, 2011 Anni rated it 5 of 5 stars

saya membaca buku ini dua kali dalam 2 hari. Seandainya kita semua bisa berpikir baik tentang orang lain seperti Alice-Miranda, alangkah damainya hidup ini. Buku yang benar-benar menarik.

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Aug 31, 2011 Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-fiction

A precocious 7 year old takes over a large boarding school and fixes all the things that aren't right. She is a delightful character that makes everyone smile including this reader!

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Mar 03, 2013 Katherine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

a refreshingly optimistic main character. A glass-half full kinda gal Alice-Miranda goes through life changing people for the better- and all without becoming annoying!

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Sep 08, 2011 Peviewops rated it 5 of 5 stars

I didn't get to and this earlier as I read it ages ago but I came across the second, third and fourth and thought I MUST read them. The second one is sooo good.

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About Jacqueline Harvey

Jacqueline Harvey has combined a successful career in education with her love of a good story. She is the author of many novels for younger readers and a picture book, THE SOUND OF THE SEA, which was awarded Honour Book in the 2006 Australian Children’s Book Council Awards.

Her bestselling Alice-Miranda series centres on the life of Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, a perpetually posit...more Jacqueline Harvey has combined a successful career in education with her love of a good story. She is the author of many novels for younger readers and a picture book, THE SOUND OF THE SEA, which was awarded Honour Book in the 2006 Australian Children’s Book Council Awards.

Her bestselling Alice-Miranda series centres on the life of Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, a perpetually positive and determined seven year old who takes herself off to boarding school because it appeals to her sense of adventure.

The first book in the series, Alice-Miranda At School was released in Australia in February 2010 with the second, Alice-Miranda On Holiday following in September 2010. Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead was launched in February 2011 and Alice-Miranda At Sea on 1 August 2011. Alice-Miranda In New York is set for 1 February 2012 release. She is currently contracted to write 10 books in the series and hopes to have as many as twelve or thirteen all up.

Alice -Miranda at School has been published by Random House Delacorte in the United States in April 2011 and Alice-Miranda On Vacation launched in April 2012. Alice-Miranda Takes the Stage (Takes the Lead in Australia and the UK) will launch in May 2013. The series will also be translated for publication in Turkey and Indonesia later this year. Random House UK have recently purchased 10 books in the series and will publish in March 2012.

Jacqueline has a new series about a little girl called Clementine Rose which launched in Australia in September 2012 with the first title, Clementine Rose and the Surprise Visitor. The second, Clementine Rose and the Pet Day Disaster will be out 1 January 2013 with at least another 6 titles to come. Random House Children's Books UK will also publish this series.

Jacqueline has taught Infants and Primary school and was Deputy Head of Abbotsleigh Junior School (an independent day and boarding school for girls) in Sydney Australia for seven and a half years before taking up the position of Director of Development at Abbotsleigh in 2010. In October 2012 she resigned to become a full time writer and speaker.
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