Kate Messner strikes the perfect balance of joy, pain, and strength in this deftly layered mystery about family, friendship, and the struggle to speak up.” —Laurie Halse Anderson, bestselling author of SPEAK and SHOUT
“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
“Messner honors middle graders by exploring important, relevant issues at their level of understanding. This book will prompt discussions of gender inequality, consent, and sexual abuse. A must purchase.” —Starred Review, School Library Connection
“Messner deftly weaves together myriad complex plot threads to form a captivating whole. . . . Rich, timely, and beautifully written.” —Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
“An effective, authentically wrought look at how fear and ignorance can lead people to treat those of different races or from different places with suspicion. Messner shines a light on the ways that people are blind to their own privilege while quick to judge others.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review, on BREAKOUT
“An accessible format and a unique focus on contemporary issues of criminal justice and racial bias make this an essential purchase.” —School Library Journal, starred review, on BREAKOUT
“A sensitive coming-of-age tale about waking up to injustice and where that knowledge can lead.” —Kirkus Reviews on BREAKOUT
“Authentic . . . . Middle school worries and social issues skillfully woven into a moving, hopeful, STEM-related tale.” —Starred review, Kirkus Reviews on THE EXACT LOCATION OF HOME
“Vivid characters and situations, along with clear, simple writing and plotting, make this an accessible and enlightening read. A gentle but truthful look at poverty and homelessness.” —School Library Journal, starred review, on THE EXACT LOCATION OF HOME
“An empathetic, beautiful, magical, fiercely necessary book that stares unflinchingly at the very real challenges contemporary kids face and gently assures them they are not alone. Kate Messner gives her readers a story to cherish.” —Anne Ursu, author of BREADCRUMBS and THE REAL BOY on THE SEVENTH WISH
“Hopeful, empathetic, and unusually enlightening.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on THE SEVENTH WISH
“Amid common themes of friendship and overcoming fears, Messner folds in strong messaging about sexual harassment. . . . This book directly addresses a relevant topic rarely discussed with middleschoolers.” —Booklist
“Layering mystery elements, strong and myriad female characters, and a poignant analogy involving chirp-less female crickets, Messner gently guides Mia on a journey of resilience that both comforts and inspires.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Impactful. . . . A message many young people can benefit from hearing.” —BCCB
★ 2019-09-24
"Sometimes courage is quiet."
Mia's life turned upside down a year ago when she broke her arm during a gymnastics routine, so a family move back to Vermont, where Mia's paternal grandmother lives, seems like the perfect fresh start. Gram farms crickets as an alternative food source, and Mia is eager to help out during the summer. Things start going wrong at the farm, however, and Gram is certain that sabotage is the cause. With the help of new friends made and new skills acquired at the day camps her parents force her to attend, Mia is determined to keep Gram's beloved business from failing. But to grow past obstacles internal and external, she must first find the courage to speak out. This story defies categorization: It's at once a friendship yarn, a summer idyll, a mystery, and a push for female empowerment. Messner deftly weaves together myriad complex plot threads to form a captivating whole. Characters are well drawn and multifaceted; all are imbued with a rich individuality, from earnest, increasingly confident Mia to the never seen farmhand James who attends all his husband's baseball games. The women, tellingly, remain at the helm throughout. They are entrepreneurs, activists, engineers, mayors; they are mothers, daughters, friends, lovers. Each woman's rise is its own story, giving Mia a supportive space in which she can come to terms with her own conflicts. Mia and her family are white; the supporting cast is vigorously diverse.
Rich, timely, and beautifully written. (Fiction. 10-14)
