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Duet



by
Elise Broach
illustrated by
Ziyue Chen

Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Hachette Book Group
Imprint
Christy Ottaviano Books
ISBN
9780316311359
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None
$21.52   $17.93
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A musically gifted bird, a piano-playing boy, and a real-life mystery involving three artistic geniuses.

Welcome to the world of Mirabelle, a young goldfinch who loves to sing and dreams of becoming a musical star. She lives with her family in the backyard of a piano teacher, and she is quickly intrigued by Mr. Starek's newest pupil. Michael Jin is an eleven-year-old keyboard sensation, but lesson after lesson, he refuses to play. With the prestigious Chopin Festival looming at summer’s end, how will he be ready in time? Mirabelle is responsible for Michael’s breakthrough—to her own astonishment, she sings the Chopin piece he is beginning to play at the piano. It is their first duet.

Thus begins a secret adventure that will take Mirabelle and Michael further than they ever imagined—in music, in friendship, and in solving the mystery of a lost piano that could be worth millions.  A house full of treasures holds the clues. There, Mirabelle, Michael, and their friend Emily will make an important discovery that links the great composer Frederic Chopin, the trailblazing author George Sand, and the French Romantic painter Eugene Delacroix.

A fast-paced, history-rich mystery will have young readers hooked as they root for boy and bird in this beautifully told novel, full of emotion and suspense.

Author’s note. Black-and-white illustrations.

POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None

Details

Format

Print

Page Count

304

Trim Size

7 3/4" x 5 1/2"

Dewey

F

AR

4.5: points 8

Genre

Fic

Scholastic Reading Counts

0

JLG Release

Jul 2022

Book Genres

Mystery

Topics

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849). Goldfinches. Birdsongs. Music. Piano. Human-animal relationships. Performing arts. Musical competitions. Friendship. Point of view. 

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Cover Art

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Praise & Reviews

School Library Journal

School Library Journal

Library Journal

Gr 3–7—Narrator Mirabelle's positive (and slightly sassy) disposition is inviting from the first sentence, as she befriends a boy taking piano lessons from the music teacher whose backyard she lives in. Mirabelle is a goldfinch who loves singing more than anything and is fascinated by the talented new student. Michael is naturally gifted but reluctant to play because he is upset about having to leave behind a beloved former teacher; missing his father, who is working away from home; and nervous about starting middle school in the fall. However, when there are no adults in the music room, the goldfinch sings while he plays, and they develop a special bond. Before long, Mirabelle has become Michael's good luck charm, and he feels like he cannot play without her, which complicates his preparations for a music festival featuring works of the Polish composer Chopin. Meanwhile, Mirabelle's world is rocked when her mother lays three new eggs, meaning she and her brothers will have to start being more independent. The narrative pace is meandering with low stakes, until action picks up in the last quarter of the book as the music teacher becomes ill and light is shed on the mystery of a missing piano. An author's note clarifies which details on goldfinches and Chopin are factual and which are embellishments. Students with some experience in vocal or musical instrument performance will no doubt be drawn in by the shop talk as both bird and boy learn to broaden their horizons. VERDICT This touching novel explores themes of family, friendship, loss, art, and music through the perspective of a bubbly but reflective narrator. Recommended for large fiction collections.—Lauren Younger

Praise & Reviews

School Library Journal

School Library Journal

Library Journal

Gr 3–7—Narrator Mirabelle's positive (and slightly sassy) disposition is inviting from the first sentence, as she befriends a boy taking piano lessons from the music teacher whose backyard she lives in. Mirabelle is a goldfinch who loves singing more than anything and is fascinated by the talented new student. Michael is naturally gifted but reluctant to play because he is upset about having to leave behind a beloved former teacher; missing his father, who is working away from home; and nervous about starting middle school in the fall. However, when there are no adults in the music room, the goldfinch sings while he plays, and they develop a special bond. Before long, Mirabelle has become Michael's good luck charm, and he feels like he cannot play without her, which complicates his preparations for a music festival featuring works of the Polish composer Chopin. Meanwhile, Mirabelle's world is rocked when her mother lays three new eggs, meaning she and her brothers will have to start being more independent. The narrative pace is meandering with low stakes, until action picks up in the last quarter of the book as the music teacher becomes ill and light is shed on the mystery of a missing piano. An author's note clarifies which details on goldfinches and Chopin are factual and which are embellishments. Students with some experience in vocal or musical instrument performance will no doubt be drawn in by the shop talk as both bird and boy learn to broaden their horizons. VERDICT This touching novel explores themes of family, friendship, loss, art, and music through the perspective of a bubbly but reflective narrator. Recommended for large fiction collections.—Lauren Younger

Grades 3-5
Intermediate Readers
For Grades 3-5

A wide variety of novels and accessible nonfiction for younger elementary readers who love a good story comprise this category of 12 books per year. The focus in these titles is primarily on the text, though some novels may feature illustration.

12 books per Year
$236.64 per Year
Interests
Chapter Books,Fiction,Transitional Readers
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Grades 3-5
Intermediate Readers
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