Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead
Read Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead Online
Authors: Jacqueline Harvey
âAlice Miranda's optimism and determination is infectious. An immediately lovable character that young girls are going to want to be or be with.' Deborah Abela, bestselling author of
Max Remy
âWhat's the worst thing about reviewing kids' books? When you find a book so enchanting that you want to ignore your own child to keep reading it! A modern story with a touch of the classics about it.' Megan Blandford, Kids' Book Review blog
âFull of humour and with very likeable characters, this book sets a benchmark for a fantastic new series.' Donella Reed,
Read Plus
âAlice-Miranda is a powerhouse of positive thinking, a problem solver and a friend to all â she's quite simply unstoppable.'
Maitland Mercury
âIt is a welcome change to read about a small child who changes adults' lives ⦠even though she never changes, everyone around her does, for the better.'
Sydney's Child
âHer generosity of spirit, enthusiasm and ultra well-heeled practicality endear her to the reader.' Katharine England,
Adelaide Advertiser
âA great book for ages 6 and up.' Kate O'Donnell,
Magpies Magazine
âEver since reading the first Alice-Miranda book, I've been dying to read the second book. Finally, here it is, and I love it ⦠Now I want the third book.' Matilda Murrihy (11 years),
Herald Sun
âIn the best tradition of Pollyanna, Pippi Longstocking and Milly-Molly-Mandy ⦠A modern fairytale,
Alice-Miranda On Holiday
is a delightful read full of quirky characters and events, plenty of chuckle-worthy moments, and a wonderful sense of fun.' NSW Association for Gifted and Talented Children website
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Copyright Act 1968
), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's and publisher's rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Alice-Miranda Takes The Lead
ePub ISBN 9781742750309
Kindle ISBN 9781742750316
A Random House book
Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060
www.randomhouse.com.au
First published by Random House Australia in 2011
Copyright © Jacqueline Harvey 2011
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by
any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except
under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian
Copyright Act 1968
),
recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without
the prior written permission of Random House Australia.
Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at
www.randomhouse.com.au/offices
.
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry
Author: Harvey, Jacqueline
Title: Alice-Miranda takes the lead / Jacqueline Harvey
ISBN: 978 1 86471 849 2 (pbk.)
Target audience: For primary school age
Subjects: Girls â Juvenile fiction
Boarding schools â Juvenile fiction
Dewey number: A823.4
Cover illustration by J.Yi
Cover design by Mathematics
www.xy-1.com
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For Ian and Sandy
For Linsay and Kimberley
Twelve pairs of eyes widened in unison, awaiting Miss Ophelia Grimm's next move. She stood in the corner of the room, a scarlet flush creeping up from her neck to her cheeks. Her blonde hair sparked with static and her lips drew tightly together.
âOut!' Her shrill voice shattered the silence. âGet out and don't come back, you horrid little monsters!'
Eleven girls reeled backwards in terror, their hands clutching pallid faces. Millie's cinnamon
freckles turned white and Jacinta's mouth gaped open. Only Alice-Miranda dared to smile.
âAnd that, my dears, was how I got rid of the two cheeky chimps who had taken up residence in our room!' Miss Grimm smiled and plonked herself down in the striped armchair beside the fireplace in her study. Dressed casually in jeans and a pretty orange shirt, Ophelia Grimm was a picture of happiness.
The girls exchanged quizzical looks and then disintegrated into fits of giggles. Mr Grump, who was sitting in the armchair opposite, roared with laughter.
âYou should have seen those poor monkeys.' Aldous Grump grinned at his new wife. âThey didn't have a hope with Ophelia after them. Ran for their lives, they did â thought they'd be better off taking their chances with the lions out on the game reserve.'
âVery funny darling,' Miss Grimm admonished. âI was just tired of the little brutes raiding my make-up purse, that's all. I hadn't realised chimps were fond of lipstick and blush until I caught them giving each other a makeover at the dressing table after we returned from breakfast one morning.'
âWe must have stayed at the same lodge when we were on safari last year,' said Alice-Miranda, âbecause the very same thing happened to Mummy. The manager, Mr Van Rensburg, said that his chimps had collected enough stolen lipstick to start their own beauty parlour. Apart from that, it does sound like you had a lovely time.'
âWe most certainly did,' Mr Grump nodded.
Millie took the last sip of her hot chocolate, up-ended the delicate blue-and-white mug and allowed a sodden marshmallow to slide into her mouth.
âMmm, yum!' she exclaimed.
âAll done?' Miss Grimm asked.
Millie nodded.
âWell girls, I think you had better be heading off. School tomorrow and we have loads of exciting things planned for the term.' Miss Grimm stood up and walked towards the mahogany door.
âBut can't we stay and hear more?' Jacinta grumbled. âI want to know what happened to the baby elephant you saw on safari. Did he escape from that crocodile?'
âNext time,' Miss Grimm promised. âAnd girls?' She tapped her finger to her cheek as though she had just remembered something important. âWe have a
new student starting tomorrow. She'll be rooming with you, Jacinta, so I expect you to make her feel
very
welcome.' Ophelia arched her eyebrow and gave Jacinta a meaningful look.
Jacinta nodded like a jack-in-the-box.
âA new girl? That's lovely,' Alice-Miranda replied. âI can't wait to meet her. What's her name?'
âSloane. Sloane Sykes,' Miss Grimm replied. âNow, off you go, girls.'
Alice-Miranda was the first to stand. She said goodnight to Mr Grump, who was still sitting in his armchair. Without warning, the tiny child leaned forward and gave him a peck on his stubbly cheek.
âNow what was that for?' Aldous asked.
âJust because,' Alice-Miranda replied, before skipping over to Miss Grimm to give her a warm hug too. Miss Grimm smiled at her youngest student with the cascading chocolate curls and eyes as big as saucers.
âAnd you know something?' Alice-Miranda scanned the walls either side of the door. âI simply love your photographs. That one of you and Mr Grump is gorgeous, and that one of the elephant is too cute â you could enter it in a competition.'
The previously bare walls now played host to
more than a dozen pictures: Miss Grimm and Mr Grump's wedding, their honeymoon and even some casual shots of Miss Grimm with girls around the school. There were faces and places and memories.
âDo you remember, Miss Grimm, when I first met you, I said that what this room needed was some photographs? And now look â it's perfect!'
âYes, young lady, I certainly do recall that was one of your recommendations, among rather a few others,' Miss Grimm teased. Alice-Miranda grinned and leaned forward to give the headmistress another quick hug.
The group of girls behind her took turns saying goodnight to Miss Grimm and Mr Grump. It was amazing how much things had changed at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale in the past few months. Who would ever have thought that Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, along with eleven of her friends, would enjoy an hour in the headmistress's study, hearing all about her recent honeymoon safari to Africa?
Alice-Miranda smiled to herself. She couldn't wait to see what excitement the new term would bring.