Alice-Miranda Takes the Stage Read online

  Miss Grimm and Professor Winterbottom declared the play a resounding success. Miss Reedy and Mr. Lipp were already arguing over what they would put on next year.

  Alice-Miranda thought long and hard about what had happened with the test papers and the Fayle School Charter. She decided that Sloane shouldn’t be held accountable for the actions of her mother. So after much consideration and a long chat with Sep, Alice-Miranda decided to write to Sloane and see if she might like to be pen pals. After all, everyone deserves a second chance—don’t they?

  THE HIGHTON-SMITH-KENNINGTON-JONES HOUSEHOLD

  Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones

  Only child, seven and a half years of age

  Cecelia Highton-Smith

  Alice-Miranda’s doting mother

  Hugh Kennington-Jones

  Alice-Miranda’s doting father

  Aunt Charlotte Highton-Smith

  Cecelia’s younger sister

  Lawrence Ridley

  Famous movie actor and Aunt Charlotte’s fiancé

  Dolly Oliver

  Family cook, part-time food technology scientist

  Mrs. Shillingsworth

  Head housekeeper

  Mr. Greening

  Gardener

  Mrs. Maggie Greening

  Mr. Greening’s wife

  Granny Bert (Albertine Rumble)

  Former housekeeper at Highton Hall

  Daisy Rumble

  Granddaughter of Granny Bert, a maid at Highton Hall

  Bonaparte

  Alice-Miranda’s pony

  Max

  Stablehand

  Cyril

  Helicopter pilot

  FRIENDS OF THE HIGHTON-SMITH-KENNINGTON-JONES FAMILY

  Aunty Gee

  Granny Highton-Smith’s best friend, Cecelia’s godmother and the Queen

  Prince Shivaji

  Indian prince and friend of the family

  WINCHESTERFIELD-DOWNSFORDVALE ACADEMY FOR PROPER YOUNG LADIES STAFF

  Miss Ophelia Grimm

  Headmistress

  Aldous Grump

  Miss Grimm’s husband

  Mrs. Louella Derby

  Personal secretary to the headmistress

  Miss Livinia Reedy

  English teacher

  Mr. Josiah Plumpton

  Science teacher

  Howie (Mrs. Howard)

  House mistress

  Mr. Cornelius Trout

  Music teacher

  Miss Benitha Wall

  PE teacher

  Cook (Mrs. Doreen Smith)

  Cook

  Charlie Weatherly (Mr. Charles)

  Gardener

  Wally Whitstable

  Stablehand

  STUDENTS

  Millicent Jane McLoughlin-McTavish-McNoughton-McGill

  Alice-Miranda’s best friend and roommate

  Jacinta Headlington-Bear

  Talented gymnast, school’s former second-best tantrum thrower and a friend

  Danika Rigby

  Head prefect

  Madeline Bloom, Ivory Hicks, Ashima Divall, Lizzy Briggs, Shelby Shore Susannah Dare

  Friends

  Sloane Sykes

  New student

  FAYLE SCHOOL FOR BOYS STAFF

  Professor Wallace Winterbottom

  Headmaster

  Mrs. Deidre Winterbottom

  Professor Winterbottom’s wife

  Miss Quigley

  Personal assistant to the headmaster

  Professor Herman Pluss

  Mathematics teacher

  Mr. Harold Lipp

  English and drama teacher

  Mr. Horatio Huntley

  House master

  Hedges

  Gardener

  Parsley

  Professor Winterbottom’s West Highland Terrier

  STUDENTS

  Lucas Nixon

  Lawrence Ridley’s son

  Septimus Sykes

  Brother of Sloane Sykes

  OTHERS

  September Sykes

  Mother of Sloane and Septimus

  Smedley Sykes

  Father of Sloane and Septimus

  Percy Sykes

  Deceased grandfather of Sloane and Septimus

  Henrietta Sykes

  Stepgranny of Sloane and Septimus

  Matron Payne

  Matron at the Golden Gates Retirement Home

  Jacqueline Harvey has spent her working life teaching in girls’ boarding schools. She’s never met a witch in the woods, but she has come across quite a few girls who remind her a little of Alice-Miranda.

  Jacqueline has published six novels for young readers in her native Australia. Her first picture book, The Sound of the Sea, was named a Children’s Book Council of Australia Honor Book. She is currently working on Alice-Miranda’s next adventure.

  For more about Jacqueline and Alice-Miranda, go to:

  www.alice-miranda.com

  and

  www.jacquelineharvey.com.au