Hello Friends,
I hope you’ve had a wonderful holiday. I’ve just been to Japan and I can’t wait for you to read all about it. I’m so glad to be heading back to school and there are lots of new friends joining us. Thank you to everyone who sent their enrollment form in. It was really tricky because so many of you wanted to have the same room mate and Miss Grimm suggested that Millie and I share again this year because we get on so well. But the other girls are all lovely and the new girls are good at so many things – especially being friends.
There have been loads of wonderful suggestions for outings including: riding, shopping, swimming, trips to the beach and a fun park, sewing workshops, a visit to the fair (I’m sure that Miss Grimm will let us do that again this year but hopefully it won’t be nearly as dramatic as last time), walks and a visit to a cafe for breakfast or hot chocolate. Mrs Smith will be busy in the kitchen too making all those new recipes – she’s very keen to try Tortellini Boscaiola, some seafood including salmon and of course she’ll make lots of roast dinners (which she’s very good at).
Brummel Bear is excited to meet all your softies with the cutest names ever – Hariette, Mustard, Peaches Primrose, Piggy, Carlos, Doggie, Fluffy and Framboise. I think we should have a midnight feast softie picnic!
Lots of you are good at lots of things, but there was definitely a trend that many of you wanted to improve in Science and Maths. I think Mr Plumpton will have to get busy with his experiments and I’ve heard that Professor Pluss might be coming over from Fayle to help with some extra Maths lessons. Miss Reedy is always wonderful offering extra tuition for English too. Remember when she helped me study for my test when I first arrived. She was so helpful.
There might be a little bit of confusion with the class groups as some students said that they were going into that year but others didn’t specify, so if you’re in the wrong class, please let my best grown up friend Jacqueline Harvey know and she will make sure Miss Grimm changes you into the correct year.
It’s not too late to get your form in. Miss Grimm’s expanding the school this year so there are still some spots available.
Welcome to Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale. I can’t wait to meet you!
Lots of love,
Alice-Miranda xx
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Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies Class Lists 2014
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Surname
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First Name
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Class
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Room Mate
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House
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Co-Curricular Activities
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Signorelli
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Phillipa
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5
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Ashima
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Shakespeare
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Piano, drama
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Ayres
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Brianna
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7
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Jacinta
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Bronte
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Riding
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Bell
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Maisy
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3
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Cara
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Bronte
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Art, drama, music (percussion)
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Bloom
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Madeline
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7
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Danika
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Shakespeare
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Choir, piano
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Covich
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Nadia
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6
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Susannah
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Austen
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Riding
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Dare
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Susannah
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7
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Nadia
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Austen
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Riding
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Divall
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Ashima
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5
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Phillipa
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Austen
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Choir
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Headlington-Bear
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Jacinta
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7
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Brianna
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Dickens
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Gymnastics, Choir
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Hicks
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Ivory
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5
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Molly
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Dickens
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Tennis
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Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones
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Alice-Miranda
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4
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Millie
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Bronte
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Riding, choir, sailing
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Hobbs
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Araminta
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4
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Laura
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Shakespeare
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Drama
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Mallyon
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Georgie
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8
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Imogen Walton
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Dickens
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Riding
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McLaughlin-McTavish-McNoughton-McGill
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Millie
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5
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Alice-Miranda
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Bronte
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Riding, tennis, choir
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O’Brien
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Molly
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5
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Ivory
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Shakespeare
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Drama, riding
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Radford
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Caprice
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6
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Sloane
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Austen
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Everything
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Rigby
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Danika
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7
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Madeline
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Bronte
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Sailing, choir
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Sharry
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Cara
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3
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Maisy
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Austen
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Choir, piano, drama
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Sykes
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Sloane
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6
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Caprice
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Shakespeare
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Choir, piano, drama
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Venn
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Laura
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4
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Araminta
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Bronte
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Drama
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Walton
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Imogen
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8
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Georgie
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Dickens
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Riding
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An a girl named kayla or Rachel go to Winchester downsfordvale
Sounds like some good names for the stories!
Hi! Big fan of your work! can you sometime in 2015 organize a day to come to Knox City’s Dymocks In Melbourne?
I love your work
Are you going to wright a new book?
Hi Bella,
I am just about to start writing the 13th Alice-Miranda book. I’ve just finished the draft and am working on the editing for the 12th book which is called Alice-Miranda in the Alps. I can’t tell you exactly what the next one is about yet as it’s still brewing in my head! I’ve also just finished Clementine Rose and the Birthday Emergency which will be out on the 1st July and I will be starting a new Clemmie soon too.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Will I be able to enroll for Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies in 2015? I was looking through my diary from last year and read that you could enroll here, but when I got on the website I couldn’t do it any more!
Hi Hannah,
I’m hoping that we can make a new feature on the website an enrollment again but at this stage we don’t have that as a facility. However, we are developing some fabulous new things for the website for 2016. So, watch this space and hopefully there will be something soon.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Hannah
Hannah are you Hannah Dent because I can see that followed by your message there is Lara and Darcey and Darcey is Hannah Dent’s little brother and Lara is Hannah Dent’s cousin.
Hi,
I would like to have an enrollment place for Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale academy for proper young ladies. If I can convince my mum to let me go. Also when is the knew 13th book coming out? I heard about it from my friend. I want to write books to at school I always win competitions against my class. I also want to be a sailor I can’t decide between the 2. I have got ideas blossoming in my mind at this second that I write to you. I would love to follow in your footsteps. In fact that is my greatest wish! You are an awesome writer and I think you were an awesome teacher considering my opinion on your books. I can help you with some ideas or inspiration if you like. Also it would be a big help if you could explain the whole enrollment situation to my mum at annamasik@hotmail.com.
Best wishes,
Katharine
I’m in Grade 9 and would love to go to the school, but it’s only up to Year 8’s 🙁
Hi Rebekah,
Sorry 🙁 I wish you could go there too.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
PS Maybe you could become a teacher there soon
HI I love your Alice Miranda books so much im making a little diorama of the Boarding School.
Hi Darcey,
I’d love to see a picture of it when it’s finished – sounds fabulous!
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline Harvey ,
Where is Winchesterfield Downsfordale Academy For Proper Young Ladies I would like to make an enrollment for that school.
Hi Jacqueline!
Just a few questions…
1. Is this for real?
2. What is this for?
3. What is this (in general)?
4. Can you do a 2016 one?
Thank you so much for writing the Alice-Miranda and Clementine Rose series! I love reading them so much!
Best Wishes,
Timna S.
Hi Timna,
It was something fun that we did when we launched the website. I’m afraid that I haven’t updated it for ages and I don’t have time to at the moment – but you’ve given me an idea for 2017 which I will talk with my publishers about.
Glad you’re enjoying the books. It was so good to see you and your mum and sister the other week in Melbourne. Hope you have a restful school holidays.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
i love your books, I’m such a big fan of Alice Miranda and Clementine Rose
I want to meet you one day. I’m your biggest fan
Hi Olivia,
Thank you for your kind words; I’m so pleased that you are enjoying the stories.
Keep an eye on the Events tab on my website, as I am often out and about at School and public events. I look forward to meeting you somewhere, sometime too.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hello Jacqueline,
I know it’s a bit late to enrol but i’d still like to know if i can join in 2017. I really like your books and would love to see the 16th book come out.
Hi Eve,
So glad that you are keen to enrol- we may think about opening up the enrolments for 2018- thanks for the idea:).
Alice-Miranda in Hollywood will be officially released on 1 September; however, I suspect you may see it in bookshops before this date-not long now!
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hello Jacqueline,
It’s so nice to see another book come out and I’m very keen to read it. I think it’s a awesome idea to put real places in some of your books, especialy other countries because it gives girls and readers an idea about other peoples lives. Also, I think in future other girls will be inspired by Alice-Miranda and yourself because of the interesting role models you are.
Thank you, and please continue to write these wonderful books.
Thank you for your kind words, Nancy!
I will write lots more stories – as long as I still enjoy writing them then why stop!
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline Harvey
I have just started reading your books and they are stunning! Although I do think the Clementine Rose books are a bit too girly for me just by looking at the front cover and reading the blurb. Alice Miranda is perfect though and I love the name you made for her. Alice Miranda Highton Smith Kennington Jones. Its the perfect name. And I love the name you made for the academy. Winchester Downsfordale Academy. Its perfect too. Anyway, that’s just my opinion about your books and I hope you don’t feel bad about it. Can you come to Dymocks Chadstone Melbourne again? When you went last time I didn’t have time and I got very upset about it. If only you don’t mind. If you don’t want to you don’t have to.
Hi Chelsea,
I’m pleased that you’re enjoying Alice-Miranda. I don’t think Clemmie is really girly at all – she’s a bit of a tomboy too but only you can decide if they’re books you’d enjoy. I loved visiting Chadstone and I’m thinking about coming back for another signing later in the year if I can. Not sure about dates yet though. If it’s not this year I’ll definitely be back early next year.
Thanks for writing.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Jaqueline Harvey
I am so sorry that what I said about Clementine Rose offensive. I had a think about it and it is definitely because its not really me. I had a talk to my friend Jasmine who is also a fan of you and she agrees too. Please forgive me. You might be getting a new fan soon because last week I went to Costco bought collection of Alice-Miranda books and it included Alice-Miranda at school and I already had it so I bought it and kept the new one in case someone might want it. Then yesterday at school I was talking to this girl called Alisha and she read my story based on Alice-Miranda, I didn’t really understand because she doesn’t read your books but she was very interested. I asked her if she would like to have my new Alice-Miranda at school book and she said she was happy to have it. I was supposed to give it to her today but I forgot, I will give it to her tomorrow though. I mum has agreed to buy me the whole collection if I want. I was pretty surprised because she never says things like that. I guess it is because when we were coming back from Sydney because we went on a cruise in Sydney, my friend’s mum let my friend buy heaps of books and said’ If its books, I encourage you’ and with that my mum’s expression changed as if she thought she should encourage me that much on books too. My school library had Clementine Rose in the Junior school section but Alice-Miranda isn’t which quite upset me but luckily it is in the middle school section which means I will be able to borrow it next year. My school library has all of the books of Alice-Miranda except for Alice-Miranda in Hollywood which is quite funny because I have it!
Kind Regards
Chelsea
Hi Chelsea,
Please don’t think I was offended at all. I completely understand that different people like different things. That’s what makes the world go around. You’re very sweet but you need not apologise. I’m glad you’ll be able to read the Alice-Miranda books in your middle school library next year (and I hope you’ll read Kensy and Max too when it comes out in March). I’m so excited – I can’t wait for everyone to meet them! How kind to give your friend an Alice-Miranda book too. I hope she enjoys it. Please tell Jasmine I said hello as well. Have a great rest of the week. I’m flat out working on the second Kensy and Max adventure then I’ll be leaping in the next Alice-Miranda story and then another Clemmie – it’s going to be a busy time!
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
Thank you. What you said about you were not offended made me feel much better. I will tell Jasmine you hello on Wednesday since it is now the Melbourne Cup holidays. My friend came back saying she really enjoyed reading the book so far and is looking forward to another one. How long does it take to write a book? It take you months to finish what you are planning up there in the letter above.
Kind Regards,
Chelsea
Hi Chelsea,
It takes me about 2-3 months to write the draft for an Alice-Miranda book and only about 3 weeks to a month for Clemmie but then there is lots of editing and going back and forth with my editor and publisher. It usually takes about 8 months for a book to be published but that’s very fast in the world of publishing.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
maybe you could make a movie about Alice Miranda. I really want to see one.
That’s a great idea Noa – I hope we get to do that one day too!
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
I know it’s way too late to enrol but do you think you might be able to do it again.I was looking through my 2014 diary and realised you could enrol online, so I came on too look, but I couldn’t do it anymore. Please do it again, and I love your Alice-Miranda books, but I have never had the chance to read the Clementine Rose books.
Best Wishes
Raya E
Hi Raya,
Thank you, I know that being able to enrol was lots of fun! We may look at the idea of Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale enrolments in the next little while, but all of the Kensy and Max excitement is gathering momentum and is a big priority. Watch this space, as who knows what brilliant ideas my wonderful publishing team will come up with in 2018!
I’m delighted that you are enjoying Alice-Miranda and hope that you will be able to enjoy Clemmie and, of course, the new Kensy and Max series which will be released in March 2018.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline Harvey
It sounds like Clementine Rose might be way too young for me to read. Just 2 questions. In the chart above when it says houses does it mean house colour in sports or does it mean house as in what boarding house, and in when it says class, does it mean class as in which class she is in or what year she is in? Boarding school sounds really fun by the way. My family friend Daniel Huang is going to Geelong Grammar and he is going to sleep in the school for weekdays and will come back on the weekends and holidays which is a bit like boarding school but just that you get to see your parents more often. I’m a bit jealous Although I would prefer normal boarding school more because you get to spend weekends with your friends. I probably ask him about it when we meet some time or on We Chat. I wonder if I won’t go to places all the time together anymore? I don’t really think so because we usually do those things on holidays or weekends.
Kind regards
Chelsea
Hi Chelsea,
The houses are like sporting and cultural houses. Class means year group. That sounds exciting about your friend going to be a Weekly Boarder at Geelong Grammar. I’ve visited that school and it’s lovely. He should have a great time. It sounds like you’ll still be able to see him quite a bit because he’s going to be home on the weekends.
Enjoy the rest of your holidays and all the best for a great New Year.
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline Harvey
Thank you for telling me. I didn’t think you would have visited there. It shall be quite clean there because our chinese teacher said its quite strict there and children who go there and are naughty seem to change quite alot after their first year which is why she told Daniel’s parents they should send him their. I am kind of relieved that he is going there because he always teases me and tricks me into doing bad. I slowly getting used to dodging his tricks though.
Kind Regards
Chelsea
Dear Jacqueline Harvey
When I wrote there in the start of the letter above I meant “there” as in “Geelong Grammar”.
Just to ensure you.
Kind Regards
Chelsea
Hi Mrs Harvey!
I was wondering we can enrol again soon as I didn’t get a chance to.
Thanks,
Tazmeen.
I was just wondering when is the next book coming out.love your books so muvh
Hi Rivana,
Kensy and Max: Freefall has just been released and another Kensy and Max will be out later this year. Alice-Miranda in the Outback will be released in June 🙂
Happy Reading,
Jacqueline
I’m a little confused, I saw in another comment you said that Millie and Caprice were around the same age but here it says that Caprice is in year 6 and Millie is Year 5??? Or is Millie supposed to be in year 6
also I thought Ivory Hicks was year 7 ?
Hi Stella,
Ivory is a little older but at AM’s school they don’t stick in classes according to age necessarily. I’ve gone for more ‘vertical integration’ according to ability :).
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
This is so cool
Can you still do it?
Sadly not as I did that about 6 years ago but it was fun at the time. There would be too many students now I think 🙂
Is Winchester Downsfordvale a REAL school and where is it? Also, are these stories real!
Hi Evie,
Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies is based on snippets of my life as a teacher and is also a mix of schools I have visited over the years.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline 🙂