jacqueline harvey – Aussie Reviews

Meet My Book: Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present, by Jacqueline Harvey

I’m having lots of fun ‘meeting’ the new releases of wonderful Aussie authors. Today it’s time to hear from the wonderful Jacqueline Harvey, here to tell us about her latest book. Welcome Jacqueline.

Give us the details – title, publisher, illustrator, release date.

My latest book is Clementine Rose an d the Perfect Present; Random House released 1 May 2013. This is my third book for the year and it’s the third book in the Clementine Rose series.

2. Why did you write the book?

Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present is the third book in a series about a very sweet little girl and the adventures she has with her family and her teacup pig called Lavender.

3. How long from idea to publication?

I started writing the book in November 2012, although the idea had been percolating for a couple of months before that. It has been a very fast turnaround as there are eight Clementine Rose books currently contracted with Random House and the release dates are only three months apart.
4. What was the hardest thing about writing it?

Time! I’ve got two characters, Clementine Rose and Alice-Miranda on the go at the moment and this year there will be 6 new books including the Alice-Miranda diary for 2014. Until November last year I was working full time as the Director of Development at a school for girls in Sydney and writing on the weekends, in the evenings and during my holidays (basically anytime I wasn’t asleep or at work). When I finished up at work I went on tour with Random House straight away so it really wasn’t until early December that I could get my teeth into the book properly. Then it was incredibly intense with lots of writing and re-writing over the next month or so – I basically locked myself away for the summer and wrote.
5. Coolest thing about your book?

I think the coolest thing about my book is that there is a wedding at Clementine’s house in a huge marquee in the back garden. Many of the guests are Sri Lankan and wear beautiful saris. Clementine is very impressed by the fact that there is a wedding and with her penchant for clothes, she adores seeing the bride and guests. The wedding planner, Sebastian Smote is pretty funny too.
6. Something you learnt through writing the book?

I had to do some research about Sri Lankan customs and what their flag looked like too. I also learned about different types of cicadas but I can’t tell you why or it would give away the surprise.

7. What did you do celebrate the release?

Alice-Miranda in Paris was launched on the 1^st March and we had a huge afternoon tea party at Shearer’s in Leichhardt with delicious French food, a fashion parade and craft activities where the girls fashioned colourful berets for Alice-Miranda to wear. We had a second party at the Children’s Bookshop at Beecroft a couple of weeks ago. Clementine’s book, coming hot on the heels of Alice-Miranda has been a little more low key but I’ve been touring schools and last weekend spent a couple of hours at the PLC Croydon Fair promoting both books. In a couple of weeks we’ll celebrate at the official reopening of a lovely bookshop in St Ives called Book Review.
8. And how will you promote the book?

On my blogs and website, the Random House website, touring schools, visiting bookshops and any other publicity opportunities that come along.
9. What are you working on next?

I have just finished the structural edits for Alice-Miranda Shines Bright and Clementine Rose and the Farm Fiasco a week apart. Now I am starting on the ninth Alice-Miranda title but at the moment I’m still debating exactly what it’s going to be.
10. Where we can find out more about you and your book?

I have a website www.jacquelineharvey.com.au and two blogs, http://alice-miranda.blogspot.com and http://jacquelineharvey.blogspot.com They are all linked and I try to update the blogs as often as I can.

Thanks Jacqueline. Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present is available now in good bookstores or online.

Stories for Eight Year Olds edited by Linsay Knight

‘Stories for Eight Year Olds’ a collection of short stories from eleven well known Australian authors. There’s something for everyone. Paul Jennings starts off with a tale about UFD – Unidentified Flying Dogs. Jacqueline Harvey’s narrative poem warns about the dangers of Grandparents’ Day at school. There are giants and magic carpets, photo-hogs, visitors from other worlds and a wealthy cat. There are stories about the perils of having a sister, the healing powers of cake and of jokes taken too far. Each story is about fifteen pages long, with a contents page at the front and a bio section at the end. Black and white illustrations are scattered throughout.

You can be the judge. Am I the biggest liar in the world or do I tell the truth? There is one thing for sure – Dad believes me.

Anyway, I will leave it up to you. I will tell you what happened and you can make up your own mind.

It all starts one evening about teatime. Dad is cooking the tea and Mum is watching Sixty Minutes on television. Suddenly there is a knock on the door. ‘I’ll get it, yells my little brother Matthew. He always runs to be the first to the door and the first to the telephone. It really gets on my nerves the way he does that.

Stories for Eight Year Olds is a collection of short stories from eleven well known Australian authors. There’s something for everyone. Paul Jennings starts off with a tale about UFD – Unidentified Flying Dogs. Jacqueline Harvey’s narrative poem warns about the dangers of Grandparents’ Day at school. There are giants and magic carpets, photo-hogs, visitors from other worlds and a wealthy cat. There are stories about the perils of having a sister, the healing powers of cake and of jokes taken too far. Each story is about fifteen pages long, with a contents page at the front and a bio section at the end. Black and white illustrations are scattered throughout.

Stories for Eight Year Olds is a delightful and wacky collection of short stories, perfect for the independent reader who wants to try a few authors without committing to a full length novel. A sampler of light-hearted and cautionary tales to dip into. A perfect way to introduce some of Australia’s foremost authors for the age group. Recommended for … eight year olds!

Stories for Eight Year Olds edited by Linsay Knight
Random House 2012
ISBN: 9781742756608

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online.

Alice-Miranda in Paris by Jacqueline Harvey

‘Oh wow, look at that!’ Jacinta exclaimed as she pointed at an impressive building in the distance. The limestone mansion glistened in the summer sunshine.

‘It’s the hotel de ville,’ Millie replied. She had been consulting her guidebook as the group marched along the northern side of the river Seine. ‘But it’s not a hotel. It’s the mayor’s office. Pretty fancy, hey?’

‘I’ll say. Paris is so beautiful,’ said Jacinta, as the children passed yet another magnificent row of townhouses. ‘It’s no wonder they call it the City of Love.’

Alice-Miranda, some of her classmates and some from their brother-school are part of a choir. They are in Paris at short notice to sing at special events mostly to do with Fashion Week. But of course, wherever Alice-Miranda is, there is intrigue. And Paris is no exception. As their teachers strive to ensure the group is entertained, fed, rehearsed and on time for all their engagements, mysteries seem to multiply. If trying to manage a group of inquisitive children is challenging in any classroom, the challenges are multiplied when that group is in a foreign city, and that group contains Alice-Miranda and her friends.

Alice-Miranda is an expensively-dressed Pollyanna mixed with Sherlock Holmes! She sees the best in everyone, despite being exposed to all manner of behaviours by people with few excuses. Wealth offers no immunity from behaving well. She sees rudeness as the behaviour of unhappy people and she likes people to be happy. She sails through situations that would daunt far taller people. She is forthright and helpful, inquisitive and resourceful, the perfect young heroine. And who wouldn’t like the opportunity to visit Paris, to sing at shows and to visit magical places? There are dramas and red herrings, outbursts and surprising clues. Alice-Miranda invites all to participate in the mystery of life and to look beyond the obvious to find what people really want and need. Recommended for confident readers in middle-primary.

Alice-Miranda in Paris by Jacqueline Harvey Random House 2013 ISBN: 9781742752884

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Clementine Rose and the Suprise Visitor, by Jacqueline Harvey

‘Mummy’s been running around taking care of some of the other guests. She’s been upset ever since we were in the village this morning and she found out that her Aunt Violet is coming tomorrow. I’ve never met her, She has a beautiful portrait on the stairs and I talk to her quite a bit, except that I call her Grace because I didn’t know her real name. But Mummy says that she’s horrid and she’s like a barnacle. She must be very old too, I think,’ Clementine gabbled.
The woman’s eyes seemed to change colour from blue to black right in front of Clementine.

Clementine Rose is a lovely girl who was mysteriously delivered to her mother in a basket of dinner rolls. Now she lives her with her mother, Lady Clarissa, in a big house with lots of bedrooms, and lots of problems. Her mother can’t afford the upkeep on the house so has turned it into a bed and breakfast which she runs with the help of her butler Digby. Clementine is perfectly happy, and so is her mother, until the day Clarissa hears that her Aunt Violet is coming for a visit. Will Clementine Rose be able to win this dour old lady over? Or is Aunt Violet here for sinister purposes?

Clementine-Rose and the Surprise Visitor is the first in a new series which will appeal to junior primary readers, espeically girls. Clementine is a loveable character with good intentions, even though she doesn’t always get it right. Her pet teacup pig, Lavender, is also appealing.

Very cute.

Clementine-Rose and the Surprise Visitor, by Jacqueline Harvey
Random House, 2012
ISBN 9781742755410

Available from good bookstores and online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Alice Miranda on Holiday, by Jacqueline Harvey

Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones said goodbye to her friends on the steps of Winchesterfield Manor.
‘Please try to be brave, Mrs Smith.’ She wrapped her arms around the cook’s waist.
‘Dear girl.’ Mrs Smith sniffled into her tissue, then fished around in her apron pocket to retrieve a small parcel wrapped in greaseproof paper. ‘Some brownies for the drive.’
‘Oh Mrs Smith, my favourites! You really are the best brownie cook in the whole world. I’ll share them with Mummy and Jacinta. You know, I was thinking you should make them for Kennington’s. I’m sure we’d sell kazillions. Imagine: Mrs Smith’s Scrumptious Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chocolate Brownies”.’ Alice-Miranda underlined the invisible words in the air. ‘Wouldn’t that be amazing – you’d be famous!’

In the first Alice-Miranda story, this tiny girl managed to change her school by the power of her optimism and good will. Alice-Miranda on Holiday begins with Alice-Miranda leaving school after her first term there. The staff are sorry to see her go, even though it’s only for a short while. She and Jacinta are very excited to be going to Highton Hall, Alice-Miranda’s home. But despite their welcome there, Alice-Miranda can see that there are strange things happening. There’s the mysterious bad-tempered boy who throws things at them, an unexplained black car, and a movie star guest. When Jacinta is struck down with the flu, it’s up to Alice-Miranda to work out just what’s going on.

Alice-Miranda is Pollyanna as she would be if she’d been born into a very wealthy family. She sees the good in everyone and if there’s a misunderstanding, her direct approach seems to work a treat in sorting it out. She is adored by all, and even those who don’t initially warm to her are soon brought around. Her family are very loving and supportive. This care is extended to her friend Jacinta, whose own parents are equally wealthy but always busy, always elsewhere. Together and separately, they solve one mystery after another in what is a very busy holiday time. Themes are around family and understanding others. Young readers will love the idea of her home and room, her naughty pony and her friends, young and less young. And as for some of the meals… Recommended for independent readers. Younger children will enjoy being read to.

Alice-Miranda on Holiday, Jacqueline Harvey
Random House 2010
ISBN: 9781864719840

Reviewed by Claire Saxby Children’s book author.
www.clairesaxby.com

Alice-Miranda at School, by Jacqueline Harvey

Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones waved goodbye to her parents at the gate.
‘Goodbye, Mummy. Please try to be brave.’ Her mother sobbed loudly in reply. ‘Enjoy your golf, Daddy. I’ll see you at the end of term.’ Her father sniffled into his handkerchief.
Before they had time to wave her goodbye, Alice-Miranda skipped back down the hedge-lined path into her new home.
Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies had a tradition dating back two and a half centuries. Alice-Miranda’s mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and so on had all gone there. But none had been so young or so willing.

Alice-Miranda is not quite eight years-old but she’s ready for boarding school. She feels she’s outgrown her prep school and it’s time to extend the family tradition and attend the same school as her forebears. The Academy is not quite as she imagined, but armed with relentless optimism she begins to settle in. The headmistress, Miss Grimm, runs a tight ship, but is never seen. The school seems to be lacking something. If only Alice-Miranda could work out just what it is. All the other staff seem to be bad, sad, cross or a mixture of all.

Alice-Miranda at School is over-the-top adventure and fun for young readers. Alice-Miranda’s optimism is like a deceptively powerful breeze that sweeps away all challenges. She is never oppositional, always helpful and slowly (and not-so-slowly) she transforms the lives and surrounds of Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy and its occupants. She has looked forward to starting at the school and her activities make it the school she was looking forward to, the school it once was. Readers will skip along with Alice-Miranda’s adventures, smiling and giggling as they go. Recommended for mid-primary readers.

Alice-Miranda at School, Jacqueline Harvey
Random House 2010
ISBN: 9781741664515

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Code Name Unwanted, by Jacqueline Harvey

Penelope Scott (she prefers her friends to call her Snot) is happy. Her secret operation to find a new man for her mother has been so successful that they are getting married. The wedding goes off without a hitch – unless you can count a dog that is covered in cow poo, but when the wedding is over there are some surprises in store for Snot.

Some parts of the new marriage are perfect. Her new step father, Frank, is a builder, and he’s building them an unreal new home. It’s also great to see her mum so happy. But what Snot hasn’t predicted are some of the surprises Mum and Frank are about to spring on her. Could it be that she is unwanted?

Code Name Unwanted is a funny yet moving story of blended families, friendship and growing up. It is a sequel to author Jacqueline Harvey’s earlier title Code Name Mr Right, but can be comfo rtably read as a stand-alone title.

Suitable for readers aged 10 to 14, Code Name Unwanted is full of laughs. Kids will love it.

Code Name Unwanted, by Jacqueline Harvey
Lothian, 2004