Spark by M.G. Leonard

What’s your ‘Spark bird’? I think mine was probably the Golden Eagle I saw while sitting on top of a hill north of Fort William in 2000. We saw an Osprey from kayaks on Loch Lomond this week and it doesn’t become any less magical spotting such beautiful creatures soaring overhead.

Spark by M.G. Leonard is another fantastic mystery and a wonderful sequel to Twitch. Focussing more on Jack and his bird watching journey, this new adventure is even more perilous and action-packed than the first. The Twitchers – birdwatching detectives – need to find out who is hurting cats in local area and keep an eye out for the rare lammergeier (bearded vulture) that is expected nearby.

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.

I was particularly interested in the lammergeier because I included Asha and the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan in my Contemporary Children’s Literature Comprehension Book for Years 5-6. I loved learning about this special bird and its symbolism in the story so was excited to see it in Spark as well.