Chirp, by Kate Messner. Bloomsbury Children's Books, Raincoast. 2020. $22.99 ages 9 and up

"Instead, she was up at seven to say goodbye to Dad, who was driving to Boston to meet with real estate agents about their old house. By eight, she was walking into the middle school for Launch Camp. A lady with short black braids and a neon-green T-shirt was standing outside, bouncing. Literally bouncing. Her voice was even louder than her shirt. "Welcome to Launch Camp!" She looked down at a clipboard. You must be ... Mia!"

A story about a cricket farm, I thought. That should be interesting; I like reading stories centered on 'stuff' I don't know. I came away from the reading having learned something brand new. I knew not one thing about farming crickets. Until now! After reading Kate Messner's latest book, I know much more than I did when I started.

That being said, this book is not only about cricket farming. It is about family, friendship, sabotage, strength, abuse, having a voice, healing, and entrepreneurship.That is a lot of subject matter to cover in one middle grade novel. Kate Messner does it seamlessly, weaving a story that is both mystery and nonfiction.

It begins with Mia and her family moving to her grandmother's cricket farm. Gram is an accomplished teacher and scientist who has recently suffered a mild stroke. The family feels the need bo be near her and help her get the farm ready for sale. Gram has no intention of selling, although it is not as easy task to make her farm viable and productive. When strange things start happening, Gran is sure it is the result of sabotage. Someone wants her out!

Mia's attendence at two summer camps garners new friends, a will to help her grandmother with her farm, and building strength and stamina at a sport she once loved. Her friends are supportive in both instances. At Maker Camp they work together to create new ways to advertise and improve production for her grandmother's crickets. At Warrior Camp she learns to trust her instincts in terms of gymnastics, rebuilding confidence and the skills she lost following an accident.

As the summer goes on, Mia's newfound confidence helps her find her voice about a number of things. She learns to speak up when advertising the benefits of consuming crickets in a variety of forms, as well as start a sleuthing campaign to discover who is sabotaging her grandmother's farm. As well, after keeping a secret about the sexual harassment of her former gymnastics coach, she is able to finally talk about it. Filled with wonderful characters who provide support and mentorship, Mia finds the strength she needs to be strong once again.

I will leave the final words to Kate, from an interview I recently read.

"And I think books that tell honest stories about kids grappling with unwanted attention can help us get there. In the real world – our world – kids are struggling, too. They’re looking for someone to listen. And all the while, they’re showing up for school and doing homework and laughing with their friends and going to band rehearsal. But they’re also looking for an opening to speak up, to feel whole again.  Books about sensitive topics don’t harm kids. They empower them."