Scan barcode
danyell919's review against another edition
4.0
This book was not what I expected. The cricket aspect was really cute, but the other subject matter dove deeper than I expected. This book is definitely middle grade, not junior fiction. I do wish I’d had something like this to read when I was in high school because of what I had happen to me with a teacher. It’s scary thinking back on that now and I wish I’d said something.
tcbueti's review against another edition
5.0
Wove together lots of threads with a strong theme of women being empowered and empowering each other.
Mia was injured in a gymnastics accident and has given it up completely. Something happened that sabotataged her self-confidence. (Little hints about trusting people you just met tell us where this is going.) She and her family head to back Burlington from Boston to help her grandma sell her cricket far, but when they get there it seems she wants to keep trying to make it succeed.
Mia's parents (mostly her mom) insist that she lose her apathy and do two activities over the summer. To avoid gymnastics, she chooses an entrepreneurial camp and a warrior-competition-style class. Her grandmothers situation inspires her for the former, and a desire not to look wimpy makes her try to regains one of her earlier strength in the latter. Understanding and supportive coaches and teammates help her confidence grow, and when she starts to believe her grandma's claims that someone is actually attacking her cricket farm, she and her new friend Clover start investigating. This part of the story was very entertaining.
Mia was injured in a gymnastics accident and has given it up completely. Something happened that sabotataged her self-confidence. (Little hints about trusting people you just met tell us where this is going.) She and her family head to back Burlington from Boston to help her grandma sell her cricket far, but when they get there it seems she wants to keep trying to make it succeed.
Mia's parents (mostly her mom) insist that she lose her apathy and do two activities over the summer. To avoid gymnastics, she chooses an entrepreneurial camp and a warrior-competition-style class. Her grandmothers situation inspires her for the former, and a desire not to look wimpy makes her try to regains one of her earlier strength in the latter. Understanding and supportive coaches and teammates help her confidence grow, and when she starts to believe her grandma's claims that someone is actually attacking her cricket farm, she and her new friend Clover start investigating. This part of the story was very entertaining.
melmattocks21's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I unexpectedly enjoyed this book! I read it mainly because I have a goal to read all the Caudill books this year. This book’s premise seemed odd, I mean it’s about a cricket farm. But I ended up enjoying the story, the mystery, and the unexpected topic of sexual harassment that was woven into the storyline. Overall a good, quick middle grades read that actually has some depth to it.
amarieb0926's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I went into this book blind and it was nothing like I expected, and so much more engaging than I thought it would be. A great book to open conversations about grooming, anxiety, gender discrimination, and entrepreneurship!
allerkins's review against another edition
4.0
Really fun middle grade with a mystery and good handling of some serious #metoo topics. And it just may have convinced me to try baking with cricket powder!
jbrooxd's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed Mia's story here. There's a LOT going on in this book - the cricket farm work, the potential sabotage, Mia's Warrior camp and trying to get back some of the physical skills and confidence she lost after the broken arm, Mia's entrepreneur camp and the kids she meets there and the project she works on, her family dynamics (which is a small part of this), making new friends in her new home, and then her secret and the reason she won't even think about gymnastics anymore. But every piece, every thread, is woven together so well. I never felt like one piece of the story didn't fit or that there was an imbalance in any area.
Put this with Maybe He Just Likes You (by Barbara Dee) and other books from Messner that address real-world issues in kid-friendly ways. I love that this story - and others - give kids language to describe things they may be seeing, feeling or experiencing that makes them uncomfortable. If they have no language for it, how can they talk to an adult about it and get the help they need?
This would be excellent in classrooms for read-alouds, and book groups. There are TONS of things kids can dig into with this story, not just the big secret/"issue" that is only one piece of the larger story. Don't miss this one.
Put this with Maybe He Just Likes You (by Barbara Dee) and other books from Messner that address real-world issues in kid-friendly ways. I love that this story - and others - give kids language to describe things they may be seeing, feeling or experiencing that makes them uncomfortable. If they have no language for it, how can they talk to an adult about it and get the help they need?
This would be excellent in classrooms for read-alouds, and book groups. There are TONS of things kids can dig into with this story, not just the big secret/"issue" that is only one piece of the larger story. Don't miss this one.
ineffablebob's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Aimed at a middle-school audience, Chirp follows a tween girl through a summer adventure filled with new friends and a mystery to solve. Same general outline as the Encyclopedia Brown books I used to read as a kid. But it also goes deeper, with the protagonist Mia struggling mentally with abuse and trauma, and several women in the story alluding to abusive situations. (Nothing explicit, so still appropriate for the age group.) I thought it was very well done, if a bit heavy-handed with the morals at times - but then I'm well past tween years so maybe it's just not targeted at me. I picked it up to see if I thought it would be appropriate for my nieces and after-school tutoring students, and my answer to that is a definite yes.
suvata's review against another edition
3.0
Wonderful middle-grade book!
"A deliciously layered concoction of mystery, friend bonding and girl power. . . . Messner gracefully spins multiple threads into one beautiful, empowering novel that is likely to satisfy warriors and quietly courageous readers alike." - Shelf Awareness, starred review
“Chirp is so many things: a mystery, a family story, and a story of the power of friendship. It's about learning to speak out when it seems the whole world would rather you shut up. Sure to be passed from kid to kid to kid” ―Laura Ruby, National Book Award Finalist and author of the York Trilogy
“Once again, Kate Messner has written a book that will be a dear and important friend to her readers. A loving and compelling ode to the joy of friendship, the many kinds of strength, and the everyday bravery of girls.” ―Anne Ursu, author of THE LOST GIRL
"A deliciously layered concoction of mystery, friend bonding and girl power. . . . Messner gracefully spins multiple threads into one beautiful, empowering novel that is likely to satisfy warriors and quietly courageous readers alike." - Shelf Awareness, starred review
“Chirp is so many things: a mystery, a family story, and a story of the power of friendship. It's about learning to speak out when it seems the whole world would rather you shut up. Sure to be passed from kid to kid to kid” ―Laura Ruby, National Book Award Finalist and author of the York Trilogy
“Once again, Kate Messner has written a book that will be a dear and important friend to her readers. A loving and compelling ode to the joy of friendship, the many kinds of strength, and the everyday bravery of girls.” ―Anne Ursu, author of THE LOST GIRL