Twitch is the new book from the British author M. G. Leonard (and it will be out in June 2021!). As soon as I saw this one, I knew I had to read it because I love reading about birds, and I really enjoy Leonard’s middle-grade fiction. I’ve recently created a list about birds (check it out: 14 Best Books About Birds) and I’m into anything bird-related. So this book came in right on time!
I’ve read Murder on the Safari Star by Leonard before, and I liked it a lot. I’ll be reading the other two books on the Adventures on Trains series, so stay tuned if you like trains! I think we all need children’s books and middle-grade books to entertain the child in us and enjoy the light and fun stories, especially nowadays.
Twitch is about birds, birdwatching, friendship, nature, and being yourself, whatever the consequences. Twitch is a twelve-year-old boy, and he has chickens, pigeons and swallows as pets! He likes birds more than anything and will do whatever it takes to protect them. So one day, when he sees Jack and his other bully friends holding a pigeon and threatening to hurt it, Twitch stops them and gains enemies. Thankfully, it is the summer holidays, and so he doesn’t need to see them. But, there is a convicted robber on the run where he lives, and this changes everything, even his friendship with Jack.
Twitch is an exceptional character and it is so fun to read his adventures. If you are or your child is interested in detectives and animals, look no further, you’ll read this in a sitting! Enjoy!
Twitch
From the internationally bestselling author of Beetle Boy and the Adventures on Trains series, comes the first book in The Twitchers, a brand new mystery adventure series celebrating friendship, bravery and the incredible world of birds, starring a birdwatching detective called Twitch!
Can a birdwatcher outwit an escaped convict?
Twitch has three pet chickens, four pigeons, swallows nesting in his bedroom and a passion for birdwatching. On the first day of the summer holidays, he arrives at his secret hide to find police everywhere: a convicted robber has broken out of prison and is hiding in Aves Wood. Can Twitch use his talents for birdwatching to hunt for the dangerous prisoner and find the missing loot?
Praise for Twitch:
“Enthralling from beginning to end, it really touched my young bird-loving heart.” Dara McAnulty, author of Diary of a Young Naturalist
“Birds, mystery and fowl play! What more could you want?” Gill Lewis
“Twitch is a compelling read – an adventure mystery with birds – what more could any reader want?!” Stephen Moss, author, birder and producer of Springwatch
M. G. Leonard
M. G. Leonard is an award-winning, bestselling writer of children’s books for all ages. Her books have been translated into over forty languages. She is currently writing the popular Adventures on Trains series.
She burst onto the literary scene with her quirky debut Beetle Boy in 2016, and the success of her books have led to her becoming a vice president of insect charity Buglife. She and her beetles have appeared on Blue Peter, Springwatch Unsprung, Countryfile, Meet the Author with James Naughtie, Sky News, and featured in the BBC documentary, The Bug Couple. A TV series based on the Beetle Boy books is currently in development.
Maya lives in Brighton with her husband, two sons and pet beetles. She spent her early career in the music industry running Setanta Records, an independent record label and managing bands, most notably The Divine Comedy. After leaving the music industry, she trained as an actor, dabbling in directing and producing as well as performing, before becoming a digital producer for Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal Opera House, the National Theatre and Harry Potter West End.
Maya is one of the founding authors of #Authors4Oceans, with Lauren St John, campaigning to reduce single-use plastics.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
