I have loved everything I have read by Kate Messner, so I was really looking forward to this book.  She surpassed my high expectations.

Chirp is a beautifully told story.  Mia is in Vermont for the summer, dealing with new activities, friends, and helping out her grandmother.  She is also dealing with a secret.  The plot and character development are simply masterful. 

The mystery of who might be sabotaging the cricket farm is also developed nicely. I loved how Messner discusses other middle grade mysteries, via Mia's friend, Clover's love of mysteries.

Ideally this book will be available in all middle schools.  I think it pairs naturally with Kelly Yang's Parachutes, for teens who are a bit more mature.  Both tackle the issue of sexual harassment/abuse beautifully.

Highly recommend, Chirp!