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Chirp

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Chirp
By: Kate Messner
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2020. Fiction.

This middle grade story is all about family, friendships, and learning to speak up for yourself. It has everything a good story should, mystery, strong characters, friend bonding, and an impactful message. The summer after Mia finishes seventh grade, her family decides to move back to Vermont to help her grandmother sell her cricket farm and retire. Her Grandmother, however, has different plans. She has decided to not sell her farm after all and she is convinced that someone is trying to sabotage her. Mia and her new friend Clover decide to do some detective work and see if they can discover the suspect who it is trying to destroy her grandmothers farm. While doing a little sleuthing on the side, the girls also work alongside Mia's grandmother to help turn the struggling business into a success.

As you follow Mia during her summer of new adventures you learn the value of overcoming your fears, speaking up when you feel uncomfortable because of someone else's actions, and you gain a bit of knowledge about harvesting crickets and their value as a protein source. So order some barbecue flavored crickets and crunch away as you read "Chirp".

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