Escaped bank robber and murderer – Robber Ryan – is on the lose! Police believe him to be hiding somewhere near Aves Wood, where rumours are rife about Ryan’s hidden treasure.

For 12-year-old Twitch, this year’s summer holiday means spending time in his secret hide in Aves Wood, getting his young pigeons to find their way home (carrying messages) and discovering the identities of the two unfamiliar, suspicious girls he keeps seeing in the wood. Twitch doesn’t have any friends and is bullied at school. He finds solitude with his birds.

After being rescued one day, from another torment by Jack and his gang, by ‘Billy’ – a stranger who says he is on holiday, Twitch builds up a relationship with him (also an avid birdwatcher), but is all as it seems? Twitch internally questions things that Billy says and does; making the reader question these too.

A few days later, Twitch comes across Jack being bullied by some older boys. He manages to scare the older boys into running away and leaving Jack tied up. By rescuing him, Jack and Twitch become friends. Although Twitch is not sure of the authenticity of Jack’s friendship.

The story is full of unique characters, twists and turns, red-herrings, and the power of children! I loved every minute of it and I am sure many children will love this book too – the first in a new series by M.G. Leonard!

I was drawn to this book as I love birds and I also love a story about an outsider as I can really relate. This was a really well-written book but i did struggle to get into it, not, I suspect, because of the writing, but because it was not made available on Kindle. I therefore had to read it on my laptop which just isn't the same reading experience at all.

I am not able to give a rating to this book as it was not sending to my kindle therefore I have given a neutral rating.

Twitch
MG Leonard
First things first. Birdwatching is cool and definitely not just for geeks. Another masterclass by the amazing MG Leonard with her latest plot twisting adventure. Who wouldn’t like to live a little bit of Twitch’s life? He has so much love and respect for the wildlife which has reflected the authors love and dedication to explore the world beyond that of us humans. Floating out into the pages, this lovely lady has shown yet again that nature is at the forefront of her ideas. Having read Twitch, I can now say I have a better understanding of birds and particularly Twitch’s love of pigeons which has inspired me to do more for them in my own garden and become more observant on our weekly nature walks. This story is yet another master class of twists and turns as we have a robber on the loose to help build up this well thought our story. Will Twitch and Coe find themselves locked in the crime? Can a leopard really change its spots? And who can we trust In town? You really must read it to find out because you are missing a treat by not picking this up. Maya’s final words and explanations of murmurations perfectly explain this book, ‘the swirling motions break up the world you know and shows you something new, something incredible.’

#freeGwenRyan

Activities for the classroom:
Design your own bird box or make one
Research some of the birds mentioned in the story and create fact files
Newspaper reports on the escaped robber
Visit your local nature park and create a list of birds you find
Balanced arguments on what Twitch should do

Twitch by M.G. Leonard is a tale of friendship and teamwork. Twitch is a birdwatcher with a hidden hideout in his local woods. He is a bit of a loner and often finds himself picked on by the local boys, but at the start of the summer holidays Robber Ryan is on the loose and Twitch is befriended by local boy Jack. Together can they work together to uncover Ryan's hidden treasure and save the day?
This is an exciting story about adventure and friendship and where things aren't quite what they seem. Parents will love to read this story to their early primary children and older kids will enjoy reading it to themselves. I look forward to seeing what Twitch gets up to next.

This is a beautiful, emotional and engrossing book. There are many twists and turns in this mystery as Twitch (the protagonist) has his life interrupted, when a convicted bank thief escapes and suspected to be lurking in the woods that he as a bird watcher, is so familiar with. The characters that he meets as a result of the prison escape obviously have massive impacts on his life but M. G. Leonard delicately reminds us of the peer and family interactions that are of paramount importance and influence. This book of adventure and friendship illuminates the beauty of birds and the natural world and it is a privilege to read. I will definitely add this book to my class library.

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of friendship, adventure and birdwatching!
Twitch is a bit of a loner and avid birdwatcher. His summer holiday plans for birdwatching in his den are spoiled by the escape of a convict, believed to be hiding in the same woods as Twitch's hide.
Thus follows a great adventure as Twitch surprisingly teams up with the school bully to capture the culprit.
The character development in this book was brilliant and the description of the different birds and their calls has made me want to try out birdwatching for myself.
A great story, I look forward to owning a physical copy! Thanks for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Twitch is the story of a young boy who is a bird watcher. He is bullied at school but is rather philosophical about it and doesn’t let it bother him too much - he still has his birds. However, after he befriends his bully, Twitch finds himself embroiled in a man hunt for an escaped criminal. A murderer and bank robber, no less. This leads into a simply wonderful, unputdownable story.

MG Leonard simply doesn’t again. The first in a new series, Twitch was a wonderfully entertaining read and I cannot wait to find out more about Twitch and see how the story unfolds. Excellent storytelling as ever. Thank you NetGalley.

There were too many people stomping around Aves Wood to watch birds, and Twitch was burning with curiosity to know what was going on. Why was so many police officers, dogs and a helicopter in the nature reserve? Keeping his binoculars around his neck, he quickly put the lid back on the storage box and swept the dirt back over it to keep it hidden.

Twitch is the first in a new series by the brilliant M G Leonard, author of Beetle Boy and the Adventures on Trains series. The Twitchers is a new mystery adventure series starring 12 year old social outcast Twitch. I had high expectations as I’m a massive fan of the Adventures on Trains series and on the strength of this first story, I can tell I will love The Twitchers too.

We are introduced to Twitch as a young boy finishing his first year of secondary school but struggling with human friendships and he is bullied by a boy in his year, Jack. Twitch is an avid birdwatcher and has chickens, pigeons and some visiting swallows at his house so he’s looking forward to the summer holidays where he can relax in Aves Wood. Unfortunately for the local community, an escaped murderer is on the loose (Robber Ryan) and is hiding out there. With money hidden somewhere, can Twitch stop this thief from escaping with the loot using his vast birdwatching skills?

I really loved the adventure and love of nature which flows from this story – it was such a delight to read. There is so much knowledge about birds in this book so I loved learning more about these fascinating animals. Twitch is an exciting protagonist too – I wish I’d had a friend like him at school as his hide sounds amazing! His dynamic with Jack is a focal part of the story too – it reminded me initially of Auggie and Jack Wills in Wonder. Is a friendship developing or is something else going on?

M G Leonard has shown through her previous stories that she is a pro at weaving multiple plot lines together and this story of adventure, nature and friendship is no exception. By the way the story concludes and truths emerge, I can’t wait to see what will happen to Twitch next.

I'm really struggling to review this book. MGLeonard is my absolutely top children's author and this book most certainly did not disappoint in the descriptive writing stakes. It is gloriously written and contains phrases and language that make a heart sing and drag your very soul into the story. Yet something felt not quite right. The storyline is a brilliant one but there were a couple of moments where it felt as though it had been rushed, and not quite thought through. For example twice Jack asked Twitch if he'd ever slept in his hide (p130 & p144) It also seemed a bit unbelievable that no one would know that an escaped robber was a woman?!
I loved the characters, Twitch was an awesomely independent young boy struggling to find his position with his peers, the Kingfisher girls tugged at my heart strings as I had an image of 2 scruffy little girls in my head. Even Jack as a bully appealed to me as it was crying out that he was just a young lad trying to impress and desperately craving attention..
Overall a superb story that I thoroughly enjoyed reading but felt had been let down on the editorial side..

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! I cannot wait to read more from M.G. Leonard!

M.G. Leonard is to books as Andy Goldsworthy is to sculpture. Her canvas may be a paperback and her tool of choice words, but she is undoubtedly every bit as much of an artist. The pictures of nature she paints are immersive, evocative and inspirational and her latest offering is no exception.

Twitch is an ode to nature. It is a breath of fresh air in book form, reminding the reader of the power and beauty of the world outside our windows. Set against the backdrop of a mystery, M.G. Leonard seamlessly intertwines a celebration of birds with messages of friendship, bravery and being true to oneself.

The protagonist, Twitch, is a wonderfully different and very likeable character, who isn’t afraid to stand out from the crowd. When a convicted robber is spotted near his bird-watching hide, Twitch finds himself watching more than just the usual wildlife. Can his bird-watching skills help him turn detective or will he be too chicken to get involved?

A plot line featuring a bird-watcher, a robber and a bully is unusual to say the least but, as always, M.G. Leonard makes it work. The reader not only gets caught up in the mystery, but also finds themselves considering whether or not they should wake up at dawn to hear nature’s orchestra or stop to watch the poetry in motion that is a murmuration.

Twitch is both a refreshing celebration of the natural world and an exciting and unpredictable mystery. I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting, thoroughly enjoying each and every word. It is a story that makes the reader stop and think. I particularly loved Twitch’s grandad’s words of wisdom, peppered throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC - I very much look forward to adding this little slice of the great outdoors to my classroom bookshelf.

Loved meeting Twitch & all his feathered friends in this action-packed crime caper. Birds, bullying & standing up for what you believe in are key themes, with pacy plot twists and plenty of twitcher & life wisdom along the way. Ideal for KS2 & a CBBC adaptation! Heart-warming and life-affirming, this is a wonderfully written little gem!

Over the past year, I think something that many people have taken great delight in is being outside in the natural world. Simple pleasures such as this, that we might have taken for granted previously, have been given a greater importance, as we have looked for ways in which to stay mentally well and many of us have come to appreciate the green spaces local to us as we have been unable to travel further afield.

I’ve never been very good at identifying birds, but my late stepfather was a keen birder who used to love going out to while away the hours with his trusty binoculars, and I remember very clearly listening to the birdsong that was played at his humanist funeral in tribute to him. With many of today’s children being forced to spend much of the last few months at home, I do hope that some of them have started to see, like him, the joy that can be found from gazing out into their gardens to see the visitors that they receive, or spotting our little feathered friends on their socially-responsible daily walks, rather than spending hours on end glued to a screen.

One child who most definitely wouldn’t be found glued to a screen is Twitch, who we first meet at school taking on a group of children led by Jack Cappleman – who are not only tormenting an injured pigeon, but threatening to kill it. Frightened for the bird, Twitch takes action against Jack, with the result that he and the other children scatter and Twitch tenderly scoops it up before taking it home to nurse back to health – doing so so successfully that it soon acquires a mate and two chicks.

Unfortunately, Jack now bears a grudge against Twitch and with the support of his cronies, he tries to exact his revenge in a thoroughly nasty way. Fortunately for our hero, he is rescued by a stranger – a man who identifies himself as Billy, a holiday-maker visiting the area to enjoy some birdwatching. Thrilled that his saviour is a fellow birder, Twitch remembers the advice he has been given about stranger danger, but allows the man to buy him some sweets in the nearby newsagents. After parting ways, Twitch takes the sweets with him to the secret hide he has built for himself in Aves Wood close by, and stashes them there with his birdwatching kit.

While there, he becomes aware of a lot of unusual activity, including a police helicopter flying overhead, and after leaving his hide bumps into a police officer who tells him that his colleagues are combing the woods to search for a dangerous criminal who has escaped from prison. Making his way home now, Twitch is surprised to come across Jack Cappleman being tormented by two older bullies and ingeniously manages to send them on their way – something that Jack does not appear to be particularly grateful for.

When Twitch is presented with a second opportunity to rescue Jack, the other boy starts to see him in a new light and starts to take an interest in Twitch and the birds that he loves so much but can he be trusted? With a dangerous robber on the loose, is the presence of Billy more than just coincidence? And when Twitch starts to piece together the evidence he finds as he visits Aves Woods, will he be able to find the missing prisoner without getting himself into terrible danger?

While there is no doubt that modern technology and innovations have brought an enormous number of benefits to all of us, they have come at a huge cost to many – particularly our children. When I was a child, life was so very different and without computer games and satellite TV, we made our own entertainment for much of the time -playing outside for hours on end, building dens and having what seemed to be the most tremendous adventures. For most of my class who returned to school last week, sadly – even when we have not been in lockdown – much of their free time is spent playing Fortnite or Minecraft, as is the modern way.

Fortunately for them, we are a school which timetables Forest School sessions – lessons which are held outside and which cultivate an understanding of – and empathy with – the natural world, things which for children like Twitch are as natural as breathing. He is a child who is unafraid to get dirty, to climb trees or to scrabble about in the woods and in that respect is truly blessed, because this is what our children should be doing. Sadly for him though, these qualities are seen as odd – almost unnatural – and leave him open to bullying and abuse from his peers.

Twitch, however, is a tough cookie and such a positive role model for younger readers. Although he would like to have a circle of friends, he is happy with his own company and is not prepared to compromise his moral code or sacrifice his pastimes to do so – something that so many of our children would do well to copy. In his birds and the sanctuary of the Aves Wood Nature Reserve, he finds the company he craves without the judgements that so often accompany human relationships and gains enormous comfort as a result. Through reading this fabulous title, I hope that there will be children inspired to spend more time outside playing, building dens and just being free, who will also find that peace of mind which comes from doing so.

This is such a great story – at times gentle and nurturing and at others fast-paced, with an air of menace – and one which is certain to be a hit with its target audience. Brilliantly imagined throughout, the vivid descriptions of the sights and sounds of the settings enabled me to hear the birdsong and see the woods as if I were actually there, and will be especially of benefit to those readers who do not have access to the green spaces so many of us take for granted.

Many of my Year 5 class will really enjoy reading this book, and it would also make a great shared bedtime or class read for children of Year 4 age upwards. With its strong messages about the power of real friendship and the importance of being true to yourself, as well as quite simply being an incredible story, many children will be on the edges of their seats sharing this. Luckily for them, this is the first in a new series, with Book 2 anticipated in summer 2022; I for one cannot wait to see what happens to Twitch next.

As ever, enormous thanks must go to Walker Books and Net Galley for allowing me an advance read of this title ahead of publication on June 3rd this year. A perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

Non-fiction meets delightful narrative in this story bursting with fascinating facts about all sorts of birds and the intriguing world of birdwatching. M.G. Leonard has gone above and beyond with her knowledge of birds and passion for her hero to come out on top no matter how many challenges he faces. Twitch is a story of strength – digging deep and being true to yourself. Leadership, finding real friendship and standing up for what you believe in are central to this fantastic mystery!

12 year-old Twitch loves birds, especially his family of pigeons. He wants to be a true birder and be able to spend his summer holiday in his den in Aves Wood Nature Reserve watching for new species and training his smallest pigeons to carry messages. An escaped prisoner and a school bully get in the way and suddenly his quiet nature reserve is full of police and excitement, scaring off all the birds.

Life takes an unexpected turn when he meets an eccentric stranger and forms an unlikely friendship. Suddenly, this quiet, nervous boy is faced with danger and a deadly crime. He finds that he is more than capable to make a difference.

I love the power of children in this book! The ending is hilarious and I could recognise so many of the characters in kids I’ve taught. I was hooked on the story from beginning to end and was cheering for Twitch every step of the way!

Our summer project is definitely going to be collecting old teapots so we can make our own teapot tree!

Thank you to Walker Books and NetGalley for this inspiring book!