A review by suzannedix
Chirp by Kate Messner

4.0

A story about overcoming guilt and shame and fear NOT of your own making. Mia and her family are returning to Vermont to live near Mia's grandmother and her new cricket farm. An expert in the field of entomology, Mia's grandmother intends to sell cricket protein on a large scale but someone is sabotaging her farm. Mia is convinced that her grandmother is brilliant and correct about the problems she is having at the farm but her parents are less sure. They want her grandmother to "settle down" and sell the farm but Mia and her new friends are on the case. Through a series of experiences at two summer camps Mia is attending, she and her friends craft a plan to market the cricket farm and suss out who is the culprit. This is the light-weight part of the story which is full of sweet and funny situations. The heavier issue is one from Mia's recent injury in gymnastics back before they moved to Vermont. A male coach who Mia once admired becomes too interested and too handsy. Mia doesn't know what to do, doesn't feel comfortable telling anyone, quits gymnastics and tries to bottle it all up. But this issue of her grandmother not being taken seriously helps Mia to see that speaking out can begin the healing process and also be helpful to others.

Grades 5 and up.