By M.G. Leonard, paperback £7.99, 8-12 fiction (reviewed by Antony)

Twitch follows 12-year-old Corvus “Twitch” Featherstone, a shy bird enthusiast who cares for pigeons, chickens, and swallows nesting in his bedroom. During the summer holidays, his birdwatching haven, Aves Wood, is disrupted by the presence of police searching for an escaped convict suspected of hiding stolen loot there. Armed with his deep knowledge of birds and tenacious observational skills, Twitch transforms into an impromptu detective. He soon crosses paths with Jack—his school bully—and together they embark on a high-stakes adventure involving friendship, trust, and nature.