Alice-Miranda in Japan

Alice-Miranda #9

by Jacqueline Harvey

Alice-Miranda sets out to find travel, treasure, and trickery in bustling Tokyo When Alice-Miranda, Millie, and Jacinta travel to Japan during the school vacation, they are in for a fascinating treat. Dolly Oliver, the family cook, has been invited to speak at a conference in Tokyo on her Just Add Water (JAW) food creation. But she is even more interested in her newest invention, and vows to try it out while overseas. Alice-Miranda becomes embroiled in an elaborate missing persons hunt when a gift from her father confuses the authorities. Things come to a head when Alice-Miranda and her friends are invited to dinner at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, and the plans of a jealous sister begin to unravel, with startling consequences.

Genres: Childrens, Adventure, Mystery, Contemporary

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 3, 2014

About the author

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.

Jacqueline taught in Infants and Primary schools 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.

Jacqueline’s bestselling Alice-Miranda and Clementine Rose series’ centre on the adventures of two young girls.

Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones is a perpetually positive and determined seven year old who takes herself off to boarding school because it appeals to her sense of adventure.

Clementine Rose is a sweet little girl, who brings much joy to her family and the friends she makes along the way in her journeys through the first five books of the series. A star of the show is Clementine Rose’s pet, an adorable teacup pig called Lavender.

Her newest series is called Kensy and Max about twins who learn that their grandmother is head of the world's most important spy organisation, Pharos.

Current Books in the Series’
Clementine Rose and the Seaside Escape April 1, 2014 Shortlisted Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) 2015

Alice-Miranda In Japan March 1, 2014 Shortlisted Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) 2015

Alice-Miranda Shines Bright September 1, 2013
Selected for the 2013 Get Reading Program (50 Books You Can’t Put down)

Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present May 1, 2013

Clementine Rose and the Farm Fiasco August 1, 2013

Alice-Miranda In Paris March 1, 2013
Shortlisted 2014 Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year 8-14 years category
Shortlisted 2014 REAL awards which are the Children’s’ Choice awards KOALA’s in NSW, YABBA’s in Victoria and COOL in the ACT.

Clementine Rose and the Pet Day Disaster January 1, 2012

Alice-Miranda in New York February 1, 2012
Winner Random House Australia Children’s Book of the Year

Clementine Rose and the Surprise Visitor September 1, 2012
Selected for the 2012 Get Reading Program (50 Books You Can't Put Down)
Voted #50 Dymocks Top 51 Kid’s Books 2013

Alice-Miranda Shows the Way August 1, 2012
Shortlisted for 2013 REAL awards which are the Children’s’ Choice awards KOALA’s in NSW, YABBA’s in Victoria and COOL in the ACT
Awarded Honour Book KOALA awards

Alice-Miranda At Sea August 1, 2012
Longlisted for DAVITT awards (Crime fiction in Junior Category) 2012

Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead February 1, 2011
Named Australian Children's Book of the Year 2011 as voted by the members of the NSW Independent Booksellers Group.


Alice-Miranda On Holiday August 1, 2010

Alice-Miranda at School February 1, 2010
Voted #9 Dymocks Top 51 Books for Kids 2013
Winner 2012 YABBA (Young Australian's Best Book Award in Victoria)
Awarded Honour Book KOALAs
Shortlisted for 2012 REAL awards which are the Children’s Choice Awards – KOALA’s in NSW, YABBA’s in Victoria, WAYRBA in Western Australia and COOL in the ACT
Shortlisted for the 2011 Australian Peace Award.

Kensy and Max: Breaking News March 2018 Shortlisted for Red Dot Book Awards Singapore 2020, YABBA, KOALA and KROC Children's Choice Awards Victoria, NSW and NT 202, Shortlisted West Australian Young Readers' Book Awards 2020

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the ending omg!!!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the entire series.

[Jill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another crime-solving adventure by the adorable brown-haired Alice Miranda.

This time the adventure is in Japan as Dolly Oliver, the family cook, had been invited to speak about her invention 'Just Add Water' food creation. Hugh Kennington-Jones decided they should go to Japan for business and as a support squad for the part-time inventor.

There are bumbling palace officials attempting to locate a runaway, Princess. They are following a false lead. Parking a black limousine in an alley between the Japanese hotel where Alice and her family are staying, and the house where strange things happen. A boy is hiding there. And bodies are being brought out when old people die. All this makes Alice, Millie, and Jacinta curious.

This charming little girl who is only eight and a quarter puts all the pieces together. They are rewarded with seeing the Japanese Royal family, and the palace, and becoming friends with the Princess.

I love how Jacqueline Harvey winds the mystery into the holiday and the lesson about Japan together with its customs, together.

[Sophia Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT!

Alice-Miranda's cook/food scientist (Dolly Oliver) gets invited to a meeting in Japan.
Alice-Miranda's dad invites Alice-Miranda, Millie, Jacinta, Lucas and Lucas's dad, Lawrence.

Alice-Miranda, her family, Jacinta and Millie arrive and spend a day by themselves waiting for Lucas and Lawrence to arrive. (Well, Jacinta is anyway)
Alice-Miranda's dad gives the girls charm bracelets, including a special one for Alice-Miranda that has the Japanese royal symbol on it. (or something like that)

Meanwhile, an eleven year old GIRL called Kiko (or Koki) meets an old woman who offers to look after her in exchange if Koki looks after her and calls her Obaasan (means Grandmother in Japanese)
But Koki tells Obaasan that she is a BOY called Yoshi. Obaasan believes "Yoshi" and puts Kiko to work almost immediately. While Koki is walking, her locket slips out of her pocket and is in the greedy mits of Obaasan's son and her Grandson.

TO BE CONTINUED...

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 10 year old chose this from the library because he loves everything to do with different countries and learning about their culture, and Japan is near the top of his list!

We've never read any of these before - I've never heard of the series until reading this either - but it was a bit overwhelming for me with all of the different characters, not knowing who was who and their background; I had to keep revisiting them for a reminder! There were just so many and so much going on. The language of the younger characters made me think they were older than they were too.

However I did enjoy learning more about Japanese culture and traditions, and the descriptive writing of the places the characters visited. The storyline itself didn't do anything for me and to be honest I just wanted it to end.

I usually love most of the books I read with the kids, but this one I just didn't have any strong feelings for.

2.75⭐️

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice-Miranda's adventures are amazing with lots of mysteries to solve.
She always helps others no matter what, which means there's always a twist.
This outing to Japan is an awesome trip.
With lots of people to meet and discover.
I would definitely recommend this book...
To be exact I would recommend any Alice-Miranda story.

[Vinessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book is aimed for younger people, I really enjoyed this book! It really made me feel like I was also travelling to Japan with them. This book made me want to go to Japan even more and it taught me a lot about Japanese culture.

4/5 stars from me!

[lyrical · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the books are awesome in the series, I love how it includes the royal family of Japan in it and a missing necklace that was bought as a gift to Alice-Miranda.

[Matnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

good so good

[Brl Dzgn]

aşırı güzeldi başta sıkıcı sonunda herşey birbirine kenetleniyor

[sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, I love rereading my childhood books.

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters in this book were amazing ideas, and this author writes so many great books to read.

[Raneili · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to go back to being a 9-year-old girl binge-reading the entire Alice Miranda series past her bedtime. It's literature at its finest ✨

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

adorable hit of nostalgia whilst in japan 🫣✨️

[asees brar · Rating 4 out of 5]

obsessed with this one love how they showed the Japanese culture

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bedtime reading with the kids - we really enjoyed this book. We loved the use of Japanese along with being able to look up the meanings at the front of the book. It gives a little taste of a variety of things in Japan. The characters are quite darling!

[Georgia.gilroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

i never been to japan before or read this book before this would great read and japan is great place to vist and great place to put in the book

[Claude · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/08/2025
this nostalgia hit was just what i needed rn <3

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, nothing wrong with it.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun story combining Japanese culture, mystery solving and even amazing new inventions. The characters are a lot of fun too. I really liked it.

[Moz]

Read it for the second time and I love it!

[Jiayi Lin]

OMG I love this series

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is very interesting to me because it has very detailed it shows the area of the sight of the story