I have just spent the most glorious few days in the company of Jack, Twitch and friends as they simultaneously try to solve the mystery of the cat murderer at work in Briddvale and get excited about the rare sighting of the lammergeier. These two worlds collide in an exciting quest to save the rare bird and expose its potential enemy.
Meant in the most respectful way, this book transported me to my childhood days of reading Secret Seven books. I adore the characters and their willingness always to give each other a second chance. There are realistically childish mistakes, humility and lessons learned – and plenty of humour to make it palatable. It’s a page-turning adventure above all, but it is also inspired to set this story (and series) in the nature reserve of Aves Wood, teaching us all sorts about the natural world along the way.
For those who have already read the first in the series Twitch, this is the one in which Jack comes into his own and takes centre stage. You don’t need to have read Twitch to enjoy Spark – but you will want to read all of this series at some point!
Thank you to Walker Books and NetGalleyUK for the advance proof of this book.

I loved TWITCH so was very excited to learn about its companion, SPARK. This book follows Twitch's best friend Jack as he gets drawn into a mystery about injured cats while also struggling with the fact he doesn't the same enthusiasms over bird watching as the other Twitchers. He feels disconnected from the group.

This disconnect leads to some friendship issues when Twitch becomes very excited over a rare bird that is approaching. Jack, meanwhile, is more interest in solving the mystery of the injured animals (which has become more complicated by then), and feels ignored in the great frenzy of bird interest. I liked that we saw the other side of a great passion, the negative impacts it can have when allowed to push out all others - it's still portrayed as a great hobby, just that (like any other) you shouldn't get so wrapped up in it you forget your friends!

The book also has themes of justice for the environment and all. It touches on how land clearance makes natural disasters like flooding so much worse, and thus we need to care better for the environment. There is also the shooting of endangered animals for trophies and how some (particularly those with money) think that they're above the law.

The big sequence where all the accusations and confessions come out is a really fun Halloween party set up. I loved the drama of it - very much helping to distinguish Jack from Twitch in their approaches to these things. It is nicely set up from the first chapter and the theme of it (Jack's big thing) also nicely matches the rare bird at the heart of the books.

I also really appreciated that the Twitchers (who were very resourceful) saved the day without major risks and that the responsible adult at the end was actually very responsible. He took the big risk with the very, very dangerous part (though Jack had done some foolishly, impulsively dangerous things before, but once the adult were involved, they made sure the kids were safe.) The kids still get their moments doing things and are instrumental in catching the wrong doers, but when things get dangerous, I really loved seeing responsible adults being competent and making sure the kids are safe - it's rather rare in fiction and it feels so important to show that adults can be trusted and can do their job of keeping kids safe.

The twitchers also expand in this book! I really hope they get another book, because the ending feels like it's being set up for another...

Spark features Jack, one of the Twitching gang of friends. He was, in M G Leonard’s first book in the series Twitch, the bully that made Twitch’s life miserable, but they are now firm friends. Jack really wants to like bird watching, but hasn’t met his ‘spark’ bird yet. When the gang hear that an incredibly rare bird is due to be in their area, they are all desperate to see it.
At the beginning of the story Jack comes across a cat that has been shot, and gradually uncovers a plot to nobble the rare bearded vulture. The story races along at pace, and is an exciting, thrilling read. The gang of friends working together, having different roles, is reminiscent of Secret Seven novels, and it took me back to my childhood! Jack very cleverly outwits the bullies and readers will really enjoy his love of zombies being used in the denouement.
My favourite part of ‘Spark’ was when Jack confesses what’s been happening to Twitch. It’s beautifully written and will make readers want their own ‘spark’ bird. M G Leonard has written another fabulous book to join her others. I’m sure that this will get children enthused about wildlife, birding and reading!

I had really high hopes for this sequel to 'Twitch' and, once again, M.G.Leonard has smashed it out the park. I adored Spark! It was wonderful to have a whole book where we could learn more about the character, Jack. When a 'lifer' is set to travel over Twitch and Jack's town, the twitchers are desperate to witness it's flight, however when there's also a crime that needs solving, Jack needs to decide what to prioritise. The story itself is jam-packed full of adventure, mystery, wonderful sightings of birds, friendship and 'doing the right thing. The chapters are fast paced and the character development throughout is excellent. This is certainly a book that KS2 will enjoy; they will not only learn about incredible birds but also enjoy a wonderful adventure where Jack will need to solve a crime, and quickly, before anyone, or anything, gets hurt.
I highly recommend this book.

Love love love.
Jack returns to solve another bird mystery. No spoilers but BUY IT. My 12 year old son was delighted to get first dibs on this brilliant book, having loved Twitch. He devoured it in a couple of hours.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to @NetGalley for keeping me reading this summer. I thoroughly enjoyed Twitch and am pleased to say that Spark was an equal match. #TheTwitchers are a great group of characters and I hope there will be a third book in the series to follow. #RfP
@MGLnrd @WalkerBooksUK

An incredible sequel to ‘Twitch’! I can’t wait to share this ornithological tale of mystery, adventure and friendship with my Y6 class! As with many of her other books, I am sure that ‘Spark’ will spark children’s imaginations and their thirst for learning more about the natural world just as the first book in the series and the Beetle trilogy have done before. The plot is well-paced, engaging and educational. There are some authentic and sensitive moments of the realities of friendships as well as an exciting mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and will be recommending it to all our UKS2 children, our school library and other adults in school too!

Having recently read Twitch and also having loved the Adventures on Trains series, I was really excited to be given the chance to read and review Spark through NetGalley. It was great heading back to Briddvale, catching up with Twitch and Jack and seeing how their relationship had developed and I really enjoyed that this story was told from Jack's POV. All the birding facts were seamlessly woven into the story, just as they were in Twitch and the crime the Twitchers investigate this time is as fascinating and outrageous as the last one. Once I read a quote from somewhere about making yourself upset because of imaginary conversations that you have in your head, and it came back into my head multiple times while reading this book. Jack makes so many decisions based on what he thinks Twitch is thinking rather than just talking to him about what is going on. It's so funny how we humans do that. I can't wait to read this book with the children in my school and see what advice they'd give Jack at those points. I feel it would be a really useful tool to discuss how our thoughts and fears can influence our perceptions. But also, I think that they would just love the story as much as I did.

I felt incredibly lucky to be sent an ARC of this book - huge thanks to @WalkerBooksUK and @netgalley

I was madly keen to read Spark and wondered how this second book of Leonard’s (which you can read without having read the first) would compare to the sheer brilliance that is Twitch. But wow, wow, wow - I’m happy to be able to report that M.G. Leonard has truly delivered another gem of a book!

The blurb…
“When Jack rescues a wounded cat, he quickly suspects foul play. Could there be a wildlife criminal on the loose in Briddvale? Jack rushes to investigate, determined the catch the culprit, only to stumble into a deepening mystery and a sinister criminal plot. Can Jack and The Twitchers stop the villains before it’s too late?”

“A soul-chilling howl paralysed Jack as he entered Aves Wood…” With an opener this strong, you know you’re in for a real treat of a tale! I loved everything about this book; the development of the characters (both goodies and baddies!) that we originally met in Twitch, the interactions between these characters (realistic and relatable for young people), the pace at which the story moves along, and good triumphing over the dastardly (without giving too much away!). The way Leonard seamlessly weaves in factual elements to her writing without it feeling forced or included as an aside, is a great way to educate readers as they read, and possibly prompt them to want to find out more about the natural world around them.

The glorious, adventurous language used to describe the natural environment throughout the book presents an almost bucolic picture, and encourages young people to take more of an interest in what’s around them, a sentiment felt by Jack; “…what other creatures were out there, sharing this planet, that he didn’t know about? He wanted to find out and see them all in their natural habitats.”

This is something akin to a Secret Seven or Famous Five style tale for the modern age; a super suspense-filled mystery story based on nature, wildlife, friendship, bravery, adventure, and not forgetting of course, birdwatching!

I don’t know about ‘spark’ bird… I think this might just be a “spark book” for many young people!

And in the words of Pamela Hardcore… “The world needs nerds who love nature.” What more can I say?

I was absolutely delighted to receive this copy of Spark to read and review. This is the second book in the Twitchers series that follows a group of birdwatching friends that happen to also solve crimes. A spark bird is the bird that really gets you insterested in birdwatching, and for Jack his spark bird is the lammergeier- a truly magnificent rare bird. While Jack is a member of the birdwatching group, his heart isn’t fully in it, and they’re more interested in this super rare bird that is coming into the area. However, a case of cats getting shot at leads Jack to start to investigate and this leads to him finding his spark bird. This book not only has lovely decorative pages, but isn’t the cover Devine! Can you imagine seeing as rare a bird as the lammergeier? What birds have you seen in the wild that have made you go WOW? I really felt reading this book the excitement that the boys felt seeing this rare bird and their concern for its safety. The story of friendship that permeates this story is one of caring and while there are times when the friends aren’t honest, they’re a true team

After meeting Twitch and learning about birdwatching in the first book in these series, this time we get to become closer to Jack, Twitch's best friend and keen amateur detective.
Jack loves his friend and loves how enthusiastic and knowledgeable he is about birds but when two exciting events collude, it seems that the two friends will take different directions. There's an evil cat killer on the loose in Briddvale and Jack is raring to solve the mystery with the Twitchers. On the other hand, a rare vulture is traveling towards the town and Twitch sees his chance to add a 'Lifer ' - a bird you only see once in your life - to his list of birdwatching.
For a while it seems that Twitch and Jack are really growing apart but there's more to the cats being hurt than a game for the local bullies. Not only is Jack going to uncover an ongoing crime against endangered species, he also finds his 'Spark' , the bird that ignites his passion and teaches him how to truly be a birdwatcher, like his best friend.

M.G. Leonard does it again :) Spark is brilliant, spot on on every character's personality and how they tug at the reader's heartstrings, and there's PLENTY of action too! Crime, storm, danger, and even zombies. Spark is a very exciting ride indeed and I really hope there will be another book in the series!

Wow! Another thrilling adventure for Twitch and his incredible group of like-minded friends. Filled with mystery, I can't wait to see if there will be another adventure. Definitely a must-purchase for our school library.

What’s your ‘Spark bird’? I think mine was probably the Golden Eagle I saw while sitting on top of a hill north of Fort William in 2000. We saw an Osprey from kayaks on Loch Lomond this week and it doesn’t become any less magical spotting such beautiful creatures soaring overhead.

Spark by M.G. Leonard is another fantastic mystery and a wonderful sequel to Twitch. Focussing more on Jack and his bird watching journey, this new adventure is even more perilous and action-packed than the first. The Twitchers – birdwatching detectives – need to find out who is hurting cats in local area and keep an eye out for the rare lammergeier (bearded vulture) that is expected nearby.

Full of enthusiasm and determination, this is a classic story of kids looking for adventure and finding far more than they bargained for. They’ll do anything to look out for each other and protect the wildlife they love so much. Readers will be gripped from beginning to end as each new suspect is revealed.

I was particularly interested in the lammergeier because I included Asha and the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan in my Contemporary Children’s Literature Comprehension Book for Years 5-6. I loved learning about this special bird and its symbolism in the story so was excited to see it in Spark as well.

I hope there will be more Twitcher mysteries in this series. It seems like the gang are just getting warmed up!

Thank you to Walker Books & NetGalleyUK for this brilliant book!

Spark is the sequel to the very popular, Twitch. It can be read without having read the first book and still makes sense.
This is the story of a young boy, Jack, who is part of 'The Twitchers', a friendship group with a love of birds and nature. After solving one crime in the first book, Jack becomes a detective again, investigating and solving another bird-related crime.
This book really captured my attention, I couldn't put it down! It is exciting and adventurous, with relatable characters and a great plot.

M.G Leonard is a brilliant children’s author, who has several best-selling series to her name. This is the second book in this particular series, and we return to the world of Twitch and his new friends. This book follows Jack as he investigates the shooting of several local cats and uncovers a deadly plot, with the help of the Twitchers. There is a race against time to protect a rare and special bird which will soon be flying over Aves Wood, a flood, a test of friendship and a gripping climax. It’s a good mystery, with some clever elements, and will appeal to many children.

I read and loved Twitch last March and then introduced it to school where it became an instant hit with my class who chose to have it as their daily read (my review is here) so I was thrilled when I saw that Spark was available on NetGalley.

It is Jack who takes the lead in this book and we see him at the beginning heroically carrying a cat to the vet who has been shot. From there, he discovers that this is not the first cat to have been shot recently so he decides that this could be the second case for the Twitchers to solve. However, when he goes to tell everybody, Twitch is preoccupied by the imminent arrival of a bearded vulture, a very rare bird, to the area and the investigation gets lost in the excitement. This means that it's up to Jack to lead the investigation into the shootings but this leads him into a criminal plot that could prove deadly if it isn't stopped in time.

Despite the excitement at the end of book 1, Jack seems to be wrestling with some issues at the beginning of Spark: he is struggling to find his place in the group and is also finding it difficult to identify the birds he sees. Despite Twitch's reassurances that he is just impatient and needs to find his spark bird, Jack is upset that the others are more occupied with the bearded vulture than his investigation. He is determined to get to the bottom of things, even if he has to branch out without the whole team and this undoubtedly causes friction amongst the group. As a result, we see Jack grow as a character and, although he makes mistakes along the way, he grows in strength and determination as the book progresses. He is brave and his fear of the consequences of abandoning his search is what drives him on.

As with Twitch, Spark had me hooked from the beginning and I simply loved the pace and the peril that are woven into the plot. It is a glorious sequel and it was a delight to be back with the group - I really enjoyed getting to know Jack more. It's a pacey plot which I know will be a huge hit with my class when it is released. And I have to say an additional thank-you to MG Leonard for getting me through a night flight back from Crete! I found it impossible to sleep and was incredibly pleased to have Jack, Twitch and the others to keep me company whilst everybody else slept!

Spark is due for release on the 1st September.

Spark is the latest ode to nature in the Twitchers series by M. G. Leonard. Following on from the beautifully written Twitch, Spark is a tale of friendship, conservation and adventure, with a whole heap of mystery and intrigue thrown in for good measure.

The story follows Jack as he struggles to find his place amongst his Twitcher friends. After rescuing an injured cat, the reluctant bird watcher finds himself immersed in a dangerous mystery. Can he solve the crime and save the animals? Will he lose his friends along the way?

I adored the first book in this series, Twitch, and was delighted to find myself just as enthralled by the second, Spark. It’s a refreshing change from any other children’s series I’ve read and will surely act as a call to arms for youngsters to become interested in conservation and the role they can play in saving our wildlife. I would recommend it for children in Year 5 and above. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

My Review:What a SUPER EXCITING read! This book is aimed at ‎ 9 - 12 year old children and man, oh man, I absolutely LOVED it! I had to put it down twice, because I had to be up early for my small humans in the morning, otherwise I probably would have read it all in one sitting. The story is thrilling, I’ve not read the first book called: Twitch, but now I wish I had and most definitely will. It is a lovely adventure and it does have some unexpected twists and turns and as it is a kids book I expected a happy ending…. which I did get, (a very satisfying one I might add.) The cover art is beautiful and it was was initially did draw my attention, the colours are exciting and it tells everything about the story, once you’ve read it, but before you start it is all a bit of a mystery. The Twitchers are a group of friends that end up coming back together during the school holidays, however there is some friction, as not everyone seems to be as much into birds as Twitch. Jack discovers a injured cat and a new special ‘Lifer’ bird is said to be flying over the town… I really don’t want to give too much away, as the story is such a good read, so please grab this book for your kids (aka yourself) and go on an adventure with the Twitchers!

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars!

M G. Leonard is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. This is the second instalment in the Twitchers series - a group of friends who love birdwatching and also solve crimes.
In Spark, Jack begins to investigate a series of attacks on cats in the local area. This leads him to uncover an even bigger case, linked to the rare sighting of the bearded vulture.
A great adventure.
Can't wait for number 3!

Well this was just as lush as the first one! Birds, a murder plot, protecting a rare species and learning all about friendships. Spark is such a gorgeous sequel to Twitch. I love these characters and reckon they could solve any crime! I loved the exploration of friendship and the brilliant plan that Jack and co came up with… gotta love me a murder mystery!