Alice-Miranda on Vacation

Gr 2–4—Seven-and-a-half-year-old Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones bids farewell to her beloved boarding school, Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies. It's term break, and she is going home to Highton Hall for what the headmistress hopes will be "purely childish pursuits," taking Jacinita Headlington-Bear, "the school's former second-best tantrum thrower," with her. The classmates are welcomed with open arms by the warm staff, including the cook, Mrs. Oliver, who has created FDF (Freeze-Dried Foods), a valuable invention that could help starving and malnourished countries. When a rock-throwing, foulmouthed boy greets them as they enter the palatial grounds, strange and potentially harmful events begin to unfold. A mysterious black car; a suspicious, surprise visit from a handsome movie star; and unexplained footsteps in former housekeeper Granny Bert's Rose Cottage are a few of the puzzles that keep the young sleuths searching for explanations. Young Anglophiles will enjoy the chatter of this upper-crust cast of characters and their luxurious surroundings. The text has an oversupply of certain words, especially "lovely" and "darling," but the intriguing mysteries and number of unsavory characters will keep readers tuned in to see what happens next. A helpful list of characters is included.—Diane McCabe, Loyola Village Elementary School, Los Angeles