Reviews
'Every bit as brilliant as you’d expect: fun, fresh & fabulously gripping.' Abi Elphinstone
'A flapping great follow-up to the eggcellent Twitch.' Sam Sedgman
'Another pacy wonderful adventure steeped in the magic of nature and friendship' Jasbinder Bilan
'Utterly brilliant. Every book M. G. Leonard writes, I think ‘ooh, this is my favourite’ - and yes, this is my favourite AGAIN! Absolutely magnificent. Gripping and funny, utterly engaging, unputdownable. Cannot recommend highly enough. Perfect storytelling, loved it with all my heart!' Liz Hyder, author of Bearmouth
'Spark is a skillfully crafted mystery adventure, it’s also a clarion call for environmentalists everywhere, and will, no doubt, help nurture a love of birds and nature in readers young and old.' LoveReading4Kids
'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!' NetGalley
'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!' NetGalley
'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. [...] 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!' NetGalley
'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.' NetGalley
'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.' NetGalley
'a good mystery, with some clever elements, and will appeal to many children.' NetGalley
'This book really captured my attention, I couldn't put it down! It is exciting and adventurous, with relatable characters and a great plot.' NetGalley
'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.' NetGalley
'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!' NetGalley
'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.' NetGalley
'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' 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 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 [...] 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?' NetGalley
'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. [...] 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.' NetGalley
'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!' NetGalley
'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' NetGalley
'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.' NetGalley
'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. [...] 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.' NetGalley
'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! [...] 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!' NetGalley
'I'm definitely going to be recommending this to our customers once it is released!' NetGalley
'The story had me gripped within the first few pages and it's fast pace and excellent plot makes me feel sure it would appeal to both students and educators. It certainly would make an excellent class reader for keystage 2 children.' NetGalley
'Loved this so much. MG Leonard is an autobuy author, this series is fantastic I adore how much the Twitchers grow and learn together. So damn cute. And Twitch and Jack are adorable. I'm rooting for them everytime they are on the page. Solid 5 stars.' NetGalley
'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.' Inkdrinker
'"This book can be read as a standalone (though obviously I would highly recommend reading Twitch) and would suit anyone who is after a high octane adventure from beginning to end, coupled with a mystery element and some extremely unpleasant baddies!' ReadingZone
'I really enjoyed this fast moving and cleverly plotted novel. […] This lovely book is the second in the series, and clearly the author is planning more adventures for the Twitchers. I, for one, can't wait to read them!' ReadingZone
'Buy this. Love the adventure, the characters and the bravery. It’s wonderful.' Sue & Pakka’s Blog
'The amount of bird facts weaved throughout the story is amazing and I definitely learned a lot whilst reading this one.' Toppsta
'This has been my favorite to date. A very well written book which is a good follow on from Twitch. I love birdwatching in real life and it is great to read something about a topic I enjoy. I think that M. G. Leonard is the best author EVER.
I would love to see this book turned into a film.' Toppsta
'This book was amazing! We love cats and when Jack rescued a cat we instantly loved the story. It was a very intriguing story and Jimmy loved it! We would reccommend to ages 10+.' Toppsta
'M.G. Leonard has hit on the perfect formula with the Twitchers series […] The book’s rural setting lends itself wonderfully to an autumnal, halloween-time story. M.G. Leonard is a true powerhouse of stories and I look forward to seeing her next books. A true powerhouse of fiction for middle grade readers.' Book Murmuration
'This is a very readable story especially for children who enjoy wildlife and nature. Imagine a modern-day Famous Five/ Swallows and Amazons type storyline, outdoors adventure. Happy to recommend.' Rosie Amber's Blog
'A brilliant book for all middle-grade readers. The plot zips along and will keep the readers reading until the end.' Much To Do About Writing
'For a great mystery, crime caper with some birdwatching to boot, then check out this brilliant series that teaches about friendship, acceptance and resilience.' Tom's Book Corner