A modern-day Anne of Green Gables going by the multi-barrelled name of Alice–Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones is set to become the heroine of a new animated children's television series.
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The Alice–Miranda children's fiction series, written by Australian author Jacqueline Harvey and featuring the peppy student of Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies, will be adapted into 26 half-hour shows to be shown locally on the Nine Network, with plans for it to be screened internationally.
Since the character of Alice-Miranda was introduced to readers in Alice-Miranda at School in 2010, her adventures have grown into a 14-book series, selling 650,000 copies in Australia. The Alice-Miranda books have also been published in more than 80 countries including Britain, North America, Indonesia and Turkey.
The series, which is in early development and expected to screen in 2018, will be aimed at six to nine-year-olds and is part comedy, part teen drama and part mystery series.
A teacher and junior school deputy head at a north shore boarding school before she became a full-time writer in 2012, Harvey says Alice-Miranda is a composite of the many girls she had taught over 20 years.
"Over time she really grew into herself," Harvey, a fan of Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl says. "I like to think she's the best bits of so many children I've worked with."
The stories of Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones revolve around the country boarding school.
As the youngest girl ever to attend Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies she and best friends Millie and Jacinta treat school as a home-away-from-home from which they may never need leave.
The books have been adored by children for their positive messages of resilience and peer-building.
The girls' fictional adventures include the excitement of camping out in the woods, skiing in the Alps, acting in a school play with a famous celebrity, midnight feasts, exotic overseas excursions and outings with the Fayle School for Boys.
"Alice-Miranda has a great following with young readers across Australia and in many other countries so that's important in terms of television," says Harvey, "but as to Alice-Miranda herself, she's a great role model. She's adventurous, loves solving mysteries and she has fantastic friends.
"There's a lot of independence for the children in the stories and problem solving – there are plenty of hilarious baddies too.
"I'm humbled by the way Alice-Miranda has been taken into the hearts of young readers and older ones as well. I often get emails from fans who tell me that they love her kindness and positivity and the way she really sees people. They often tell me that when times are tough they'll ask themselves, 'What would Alice-Miranda do?' I love that!
"I want children all over the world to fall in love with her and her friends. I don't think I was much like Alice-Miranda as a child but I do think she's made me a better person - definitely a lot more positive and kinder too."
The Australian series developer is SLR Productions, which has brought to the small screen Guess How Much I Love You, The Skinner Boys- Guardians of the Lost Secrets and the Emmy Award winning animated series, I Got a Rocket.
SLR is partnering with the European distributor, ZDF Enterprises, which manages German-language programs and a portfolio of international productions.
"Alice-Miranda has all the ingredients it takes to make a children's series an international success," said Arne Lohmann of ZDFE junior. "We are sure it will capture the hearts not only of young girls but entire families."
Linda Morris is on Facebook and Twitter @LindaMorrissmh
