Pitch Partners — Laura D'Asaro

The second book in the sensational series inspired by the true story of two friends who landed a deal on Shark Tank. Sixth-grade students-turned-entrepreneurs are on a mission to save the world, one bug at a time!

After snagging second place at their school's startup pitch competition, Hallie and Jaye are confident that their edible bug business is the food of the future. Now their ultimate goal is to get Chirps chips--tortilla chips made with cricket powder--on every grocery store shelf. First, they get to move on to the county pitch competition to try and win tickets to New York City to compete in the next round. But there are a few bumps along the way, with their cricket supply shrinking, no kitchen to cook in, and trouble brewing between the two teammates. Can they clinch first place, or will their business go bust before it really begins?

Based on the true story of a sustainable protein start-up company, this illustrated novel is a reimagining for a middle-grade reader. Chirps founders Rose Wang and Laura D'Asaro met as freshmen at Harvard University and cooked up the concept of selling chips made with cricket flour to help Americans feel more comfortable eating bugs. Together, Rose and Laura appeared on the TV show Shark Tank to pitch their idea and landed a deal with Mark Cuban. Chirps chips are now sold in stores across the nation.