Genre: Young adult literature.
Key Stage: Year 7+
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Twitch by M. G. Leonard (2021)
We first meet the titular character of Twitch in Year 7 (which is the same year I’m in!) where he is the victim of vicious bullying. Not surprisingly, he would prefer the company of birds to anyone at his school. Therefore, his plan for the summer holidays, when he finally finishes the first year of secondary, is to spend his time with birds. He is going to go bird watching and also train his pigeons to come home when he asks them to.
However, his plans are thwarted when a dangerous convict, in prison for murder, escapes. The police believe the escapee will be returning to the area where Twitch is planning to spend his summer: Aves Wood. Not only is murder at stake: there are also millions of pounds involved that the convict stole which is yet to be recovered.
During the summer, Twitch makes some unlikely allies and together they end up trying to track down the prisoner and find the lost millions. But with so much at stake, this becomes a highly hazardous pastime.
M G Leonard writes beautifully and knowledgeably about birds and bird-watching. As someone who has never been a bird watcher, the story is filled with a love of nature in general and birds in particular and it leaves a wonderful impression. It has really inspired me to look into the natural and avian world around me.
The protagonist, Twitch, is a very likeable hero and his ingenious problem solving is both clever and engaging. He is a fantastic role model, and I was overjoyed to discover he will feature in further books. I would recommend the book to anyone who likes mysteries or crime fiction, as well as nature, and would suggest to keep an eye out for future books!
Reviewer: Sokal, Year 7