Alice-Miranda in Japan by Jacqueline Harvey

Random House, 2014. ISBN 9781742757599.
'Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones attends boarding school at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies. A truly positive heroine, she is funny, kind, optimistic and able to solve just about any problem.'
Alice-Miranda's latest adventure takes her to Japan, together with all her family and friends. The family cook, Dolly Oliver has been invited by the Japanese Ministry for Invention and Innovation to speak at an international conference about her 'Just Add Water' foods and within days, everyone is on the Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones' private jet to Tokyo. Intertwined with Alice-Miranda's story is that of Kiko, a young Japanese runaway which takes the story to places that make it intriguing and page-turning as well as showing a behind-the-scenes look at Japanese life.
Fans of Alice-Miranda will enjoy this 9th book about her; newcomers may need to use the Cast of Characters at the back to get an understanding of who's who because of the complexity of the names and the relationships. The glossary of Japanese words is also a bonus, although many can be worked out within the context of the story so the reading is not interrupted.
For those readers who cannot wait for there to be another Alice-Miranda adventure - there are at least three more to come - there are now websites to feed their enjoyment http://jacquelineharvey.com.au/ and http://alice-miranda.blogspot.com.au/ with blogs, trailers and activities.
Barbara Braxton