Spark

LoveReading4Kids Says

September 2022 Guest Editor Book of the Month

Not many people know that I am a keen birdwatcher, mainly because it’s not true. I do, however, have a small feeder outside my studio and an A4 British Garden Birds print on my pinboard that I regularly use to help tell the difference between the Goldfinches and Nuthatches that visit my little corner of North London. As such, I was delighted to see that one of my favourite middle-grade authors, M G Leonard – I’ve been a fan since Beetle Boy – had written a follow up to Twitch, a fabulous book full of twists and turns that I devoured last year.

Spark, the second novel in a series of four, doesn’t disappoint. This time Jack takes centre stage, and when he discovers that someone is brutally injuring (and sometimes even killing) the neighbourhood cats, he decides to try and solve the mystery with the help of Twitch and the rest of our ornithologist detectives. They go on the hunt for the perpetrators and, needless to say, end up uncovering a lot more than they bargained for. The plot takes hold within the first few pages, pulls you along at pace and regularly fires the reader off in unexpected directions, but for me it’s the characters that really make this story shine.

The entire cast is so beautifully drawn and the genuine friendships, particular that of Jack and Twitch, warm the cockles of the heart. Not only is Spark is a skilfully 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. I’m now looking out of my studio window hoping that a lammergeier pays a visit to my garden soon. I think I need a spark bird. ~ Rob Biddulph, Guest Editor September 2022

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