When Alice-Miranda, Millie and Jacinta travel to Japan during the school holidays, 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.

Move over Matilda and Madeline, there's a charming miniature heroine ready to make her mark! Her name is Alice-Miranda--and she's full of spunk! Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennigton-Jones can't wait to start boarding school. When she arrives at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies, the adventure begins . . . only not quite as Alice-Miranda expects. The minute she sets foot on the school's manicured grounds, she senses that something is wrong: Miss Grimm, the headmistress, is nowhere to be seen, the gardens have no flowers, and a mysterious stranger seems to be hiding out on the premises. But that's not all. Some girls are mean and spoiled, like Alethea Goldsworthy. Can Alice-Miranda defeat Alethea in one of three difficult tests she must pass to remain at school? Will she discover Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale's big secret—and make things right? Well, if anyone can, it's spunky Alice-Miranda!

Alice-Miranda is thrilled to be back at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies, where the girls are rehearsing a play with the neighboring boys' school. But it's not all glamour and stage lights: there are rumors of a witch in the woods, and Alice-Miranda's friends, Jacinta and Millie, are clashing with Sloan Sykes, a rude new student whose pushy mother comes up with a get-rich scheme that could have disastrous results. When Alice-Miranda learns of the plot, she tries to set things right--and on the night of the big performance, no less!

When Alice-Miranda goes home to her family's lavish estate for the school holidays, along with her best friend Jacinta, their break is not exactly what they expected because of a cranky boy causing mischief, a visiting movie star, a snooping stranger, and a grandmother with a family secret.

Alice-Miranda attends Mrs. Kimmel's School for Girls, in New York City, while her family prepares to reopen their department store, Highton's on Fifth, as plans for the reopening party go wrong in ways that she finds worth investigation.

Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones has survived her first term at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale. And now Jacinta Headlington-Bear, the school's second best tantrum thrower, is joining Alice-Miranda's family for term break. Who would have thought it! The two girls are looking forward to a relaxing holiday at Highton Hall. But a cranky boy is causing mischief on the estate, a movie star has come to visit, and a stranger is snooping about. Add a naughty pony, a hint of romance and a dastardly scheme, and Jacinta and Alice-Miranda might have a more exciting holiday than they were expecting.

Alice-Miranda has a birthday to celebrate, and the village show to look forward to! The highlight of the day is going to be the horse race, but Rockstar the prize racehorse is refusing to leave the stables - until Alice-Miranda introduces him to her own very naughty pony, Bonaparte.Then disaster strikes! ...