Jacqueline Harvey (1)

I found this instalment of the Kensy and Max series to be much better than the first, "Breaking News". The twins are now agents-in-training and are on a school trip to Rome when they find themselves solving a kidnapping.

There was far more action and excitement in this novel and I loved the Italian setting - it brought back memories of my time over there. The inclusion of maps and glossary was a good idea and would be beneficial to younger readers while the chance to crack a new code makes for a fun read that will keep them intrigued.… (more)

"Breaking News" was recommended to me by a Year 7 students. The first thing I noticed when I started reading was the unusual letter combinations at the start of each chapter and soon realised they were some sort of code which I was keen to crack.

Written for younger readers, this was the first book in the "Kensy and Max" series. Although I found the plot bit slow, I will give the next book a go and I think this one was setting the scene and giving the context for what is to come next. There were a lot of likeable characters who will probably have bigger roles in the following novels, especially Max and Kensy, the eleven-year-old twins.

Overall, the mystery was good and cracking the code was fun.… (more)

Alice–Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones heads to China in the latest book by multi-award-winning author Jacqueline Harvey. Alice–Miranda in China, the fourteenth book in the series, follows Alice–Miranda and her schoolmates on a whirlwind school trip to Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing. With a mix of sightseeing, acrobatics, hilarious parenting mishaps and mystery, the students of Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies, together with a few friends from Fayle School for Boys, experience the wonders of China while uncovering an evil plan to steal priceless artifacts. Alice–Miranda inadvertently becomes part of the heist, but helps bring the perpetrators to justice, and makes a lasting impression on all those she meets.

Reviewed for CBCA's Reading Time, full review here - http://readingtime.com.au/alice-miranda-china-alice-miranda-14/.… (more)