Alexandra Bond is, in essence, an ordinary ten-year-old girl. She goes to school, she has an annoying younger brother (Evan), she has a best friend (Rosie), she has an arch enemy (Pearl), she has a pet dog (Bear). But she is EXTRAODINARILY ambitious and determined (in the nicest way). But the road to success (she's aiming for Mensa, the Oscars, or possibly Nigella Lawson's shoes) is not smoothly paved and Pearl (whose life goes like clockwork) is determined to trip her up, plus did I forget to mention 'disaster' is Alexandra Bond's middle name? Luckily, her sidekicks are always rooting for her - and her fantastic imagination somehow means Alex the Great always comes out on top. In this first book in the series Alex is trying to win a cookery competition (being filmed for the gorgeous chef Will Master's tv series) but, as ever with Alex, things just don't go according to plan