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A review by zinelib
Chirp by Kate Messner
3.0
I'm not always the biggest middle grades fan (except for books by [a:Celia C. Pérez|9838714|Celia C. Pérez|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png] and when I was in elementary school), so it says something that I enjoyed Chirp, about Mia, whose family moves back to Vermont from Boston to be closer to Mia's grandmother, and the scary secret Mia has been holding onto.
Mia has recovered, physically, from a gymnastics injury, but she's not the fearless kid she once was, diving off cliffs into water and performing dangerous feats on the balance beam. Her grandma is also in a bit of a situation; her cricket farm is failing, possibly due to sabotage. Yes, cricket farm! One thing I do like about MG novels are the wild, niche topics they cover. Grandma will sell you crickets in flavors like barbecue, maple syrup (because Vermont), and Mia's favorite, garlic and sea salt. Insects are healthy, don't you know? I mean, they are! High in protein and all. I'm a vegetarian, so I think consuming all flesh is gross, with insect bodies being no worse than flesh.
Family and friend relationships are centered in this novel, along with girl power.
Mia has recovered, physically, from a gymnastics injury, but she's not the fearless kid she once was, diving off cliffs into water and performing dangerous feats on the balance beam. Her grandma is also in a bit of a situation; her cricket farm is failing, possibly due to sabotage. Yes, cricket farm! One thing I do like about MG novels are the wild, niche topics they cover. Grandma will sell you crickets in flavors like barbecue, maple syrup (because Vermont), and Mia's favorite, garlic and sea salt. Insects are healthy, don't you know? I mean, they are! High in protein and all. I'm a vegetarian, so I think consuming all flesh is gross, with insect bodies being no worse than flesh.
Family and friend relationships are centered in this novel, along with girl power.