Duet

by Elise Broach, Ziyue Chen (Illustrator)

★ “Exceptional…. Rich with facts around goldfinches and music, vivid descriptions, unique characters, and carefully crafted suspense.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review   ★ “Perfect for readers who, like Mirabelle, are sometimes spellbound by music.” —Booklist­, starred reviewA 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.A Bank Street College Best Book of the Year A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection 

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Music, Animals, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction

305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 10, 2022

About the author

Elise Broach is the New York Times bestselling author of children's books including Masterpiece, Shakespeare's Secret, Desert Crossing, Missing on Superstition Mountain (the first book in the Superstition Mountain Trilogy) as well as several picture books. Her books have been selected as ALA notable books, Junior Library Guild selections, a Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book, a New York Public Library Best Book for the Teenage, an IRA Teacher's Choice, an E.B. White Read Aloud Award, and nominated for an Edgar Award, among other distinctions. Ms. Broach holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from Yale University. She was born in Georgia and lives in the woods of rural Connecticut, walking distance from three farms, a library, a post office and two country stores.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/eliseb...

Reviews

[La Crosse County Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the spirited goldfinch Mirabelle meets Michael, an eleven-year-old piano prodigy who just can’t bring himself to play, the fantastic trills of friendship, mystery, and adventure unfold.

Lively-paced narrator Mirabelle’s personality is as bright as her sunshiny feathers, and she longs to become a star. She discovers Michael, who presents as East Asian, through the music room window when he comes to study with the renowned Mr. Starek, an emigrant from Poland and retired concert pianist.

But in order to prepare for the upcoming Chopin Festival, despondent Michael must face within himself that which is holding him back, the realities of painful loss and uncertain beginnings. Mirabelle helps him do just that.

The prose is as lyrical as the themes, and Broach creates a flowing narrative with golden reflections. When Mirabelle feels transformed—as though the song is singing through her, she says—by her musical connection with Michael and joins his music for their first duet, she says:

“Am I still made of bones and skin and feathers? No. I am only song.”

Award-winning Broach, who wrote Shakespeare’s Secret, When Dinosaurs Came with Everything, and Masterpiece, weaves into her story a wealth of information on birds and artistic geniuses such as Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, French author George Sand, and French painter Eugene Delacroix.

Chopin’s missing piano adds just the right touch of suspense.

An author’s note (she holds a graduate degree in history) helps distinguish between historical fact and fiction, and Broach encourages readers to follow their curiosity and do their own research as well.

While Duet may be geared for readers ages 8-12, I can attest from my enjoyment of it that it’s great for all ages—especially those interested in a sassy mix of historical fiction, music, and mystery. Broach’s latest invention celebrates the unique ways we each find to sing—and the journey through which we turn our individual notes into the harmony of collective song.

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[Manybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well to be perfectly honest here, Elise Broach's 2022 middle grade novel Duet does certainly remind me rather too strongly and also much too obviously of her 2008 Masterpiece, except that in Masterpiece, the main theme is art and the depicted friendship is between a boy and a beetle, and that in Duet the main theme is classical music (in particular Frederic Chopin and classical piano music/playing) and that the depicted friendship is between a boy and a goldfinch. And yes, as soon as I saw the Goodreads book page for Duet, I was indeed not only totally and utterly reminded of Masterpiece, the entire synopsis (to and for me at least) feels as though Elise Broach has for Duet simply taken her outline for Masterpiece and inserted a classical music themed boy and goldfinch friendship story instead of the art themed boy and beetle friendship story that is Masterpiece (and has even included yet another mystery to be solved in Duet, which is not my cup of reading tea anyhow and certainly also massively strengthens my intense gut feeling that Duet is really and for all intents and purposes Masterpiece rehashed and placed in a different external packaging, and thus for me at best annoyingly and frustratingly derivative and not really all that much a reading joy, which is probably also why after having read Duet, my clearest remembrances are sadly mainly what I have disliked, what has bothered me).

And furthermore, while Duet might not present an issue for those readers who do not (like me) find the similarity of set-up between it and Masterpiece rather annoying and a trifle tedious, am I really the only reader who is finding Duet's Michael Jin character a bit problematically depicted by Elise Broach as a very standard and also very typical young East Asian piano prodigy? For Michael, with his amazing musical talents as a pianist and at a very young age, that Broach simply has to make his background East Asian, this really does kind of make me a shake my head a bit and to equally think that a say young African American piano prodigy character would definitely make Duet considerably more interesting in and of itself and also, importantly, less frustratingly stereotypical. And while I do certainly appreciate the factual information regarding goldfinches and Frederic Chopin Elise Broach presents and provides in Duet, and that many of her textual descriptions are vividly and colourfully penned, sorry, but that Duet basically feels pretty much like Masterpiece with differently characters, a different type of cultural, artistic endeavour, and in particular how ridiculously stereotypical Michael Chin comes across within the pages of Duet, for me, Elise Broach's featured story in Duet, it sure leaves a lot to be desired and therefore is for me (and both for my inner child and my more critical adult self) only a two star rating (with no chance of augmentation).

[Jennifer Bertman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming story about a goldfinch, a musically-gifted boy, his piano teacher, and a mystery about Chopin. If you enjoyed MASTERPIECE by Elise Broach, you will love this one too. (And if you haven't read MASTERPIECE, you should! It's wonderful!)

[Toryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are few novels from the perspective of a bird, let alone a caring, bold, and musical little goldfinch named Mirabelle. And not only this, but the light-heartedness of it all, makes Duet an amusing, unique, pleasant, and truly magical experience.

For years, the elderly Polish man named Mr. Starek has taught piano lessons in his music room. And Mirabelle the goldfinch has always loved listening to the melodic sounds coming through the window. Mr. Starek decides to retire, but not after mentoring one more student–Michael Jin. He is preparing for a piano competition, and he though he certainly has a gift with the instrument, he needs some motivation. Luckily, Mirabelle is there to push him to what he can become! Though she can't directly talk with the humans, she uses her wits and creativity to communicate as best she can, and ultimately save the day.

[Aleita Marcotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids and I really enjoyed this book. There was some history intertwined that gave us the opportunity for some research on a composer. The book is written from the birds perspective, so my kids really enjoyed that and she is pretty funny. The beginning maybe was a tad slow but once a mystery was involved, my kids didn’t want me to stop reading. All in all we enjoyed it very much.

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duet by Elise Broach is an enrapturing, unique story about music, friendship, history and birds — especially goldfinches. If you like unusual stories told from the perspective of animals, you’ll enjoy this one!

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

** This was a NetGalley book [original due date 5.10.2022] and I have just now found in print version [at a price I could afford, as none of my libraries had this book] to read and review. I was unable to do so originally due to a bad file with no pictures, illustrations, and/or or text. **

This was a cute book that I think kids will love, There is music [and opportunities for children and adults alike to learn about new music genres], friendship [some very unexpected], a mystery, and a very adventurous bird[!!!], and the love and regret that always seems to permeate adults [and then transfers to the children around them]. It is both a fun and beautiful story that I think will resonate with many.

I was not a fan of the narrator, so IMO, unless absolutely needed, I highly recommend just reading this book [or having an adult read it to *OR* with the child] as there will probably be more engagement and enjoyment that way.

I am glad that I was finally able to read this and will be recommending it to my friends that have littles.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elise Broach, Ziyue Chen - Illustrator and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Christy Ottaviano Books for providing the original ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Molly Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute book to read with my kids. They have been taking piano lessons for several years and they enjoyed reading about a main character doing the same. The author did an excellent job inspiring, entertaining, and teaching so many tidbits about goldfinches, Frederic Chopin, pianos, the importance of community, and navigating relationships with family.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book didn't appeal to me as much as I had hoped, considering my degree in music. I didn't think the subject matter of Chopin and the mysterious piano was enough to engage young readers, and the use of the goldfinch as the narrator felt like a forced way to make it appealing to younger readers, especially since some gimmicks needed to be used to make that work, for example, how Mirabelle was able to communicate her name to the humans. Actually, the goldfinch, Mirabelle, had a voice that felt too young for the readership, so between the subject being too old and the narrator too young, this book didn't hit the sweet spot for me.

[Sammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.

Many thanks to Christy Ottaviano Books and TBR and Beyond Tours for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Overall

I’ll admit, this doesn’t seem like the style of book I would pick up, let alone enjoy, right? There’s no stabbing or sarcasm (well, maybe a teensy bit, but hardly any) and certainly no dragons or necromancy. Which is . . . weird. Do books like that even exist?! Apparently. Ever since I read and loved Pighearted by Alex Perry, though, I’ve decided to try to rediscover the “heartwarming contemporary” middle grade genre. And I have to say, I haven’t been disappointed.

Duet is a heartwarming middle grade story from the point of view of a bird. It’s part love letter to music, part mystery, and part coming of age—for the boy and the bird!

I’m not a very musical person, so I was a little worried about the fact that this book was entirely about music, but . . . I sort of loved that aspect of it? So weird, because I didn’t think that’d be the case. I learned so much about music, and it was very interesting. The big focus of this book is Chopin, who of course I knew about in passing, but I didn’t know there were so many juicy details about his life. I’m also not sold on animal points of view in middle grade, but I definitely want more books like this, told from the point of view of cheeky little birds!

My Thoughts

- You don’t need to know or understand music at all to enjoy the musical theme of this book . . . but if you do, you’ll probably love it even more! As I said, I don’t know a whole lot about music other than it exists and I’m really bad at it. So I’m always leery about picking up books that have a heavy music theme, because I always worry it’ll be hard for me to get into the book. So not the case here! I really enjoyed the musical aspects of this book and thought they were really interesting. I learned some new things, too, and didn’t feel like it was a dissertation on music.

- This story is one-third about a little boy named Michael who is discovering his love for Chopin, one-third about an old man whose sister’s death is rekindling reminders of how much he misses her, and 100% told from the perspective of a music-loving goldfinch named Mirabelle. Now, if you’re thinking that a story from the point of view of a bird is going to be dry and boring, think again! First, I absolutely loved that Mirabelle is a goldfinch, purely from a selfish perspective, because my grandparents always had goldfinches at their feeders outside their kitchen windows and oh the nostalgia! Second, Mirabelle is a very cheeky goldfinch with troubles of her own, as her mother is about to have new babies (which she’s convinced will replace her and her brothers) and she’s discovering her own love for music along with Michael. I’m generally not one for animal point of view books, for whatever reason, but I really enjoyed the way Broach did this. Plus, I learned quite a bit about goldfinches, too!

- This book heavily focuses on Chopin, so if you’re not familiar with him as an artist in general (like me), prepare to learn some fun new facts. I actually loved this aspect of the book. At the end of the book, Broach talks about the true facts included in the book, and I was so surprised to find that so much of it was accurate! I knew of Chopin, of course, but I never really considered him a person of interest to me personally. After reading this book, though, I’m very curious about Chopin! I think I’ll probably read more about him now, because I hadn’t realized his life was so interesting. I also am aware of, like, three Chopin pieces, but apparently he wrote dozens of pieces, which I hadn’t realized. While I was reading the book, I listened to the pieces Michael was playing, and I feel like I’ve discovered a side of music I was unaware of.

- Duet has layers within layers, and while this is a book about music and a goldfinch and a little boy learning the piano, it’s also an ode to the love between siblings, even estranged siblings, and how sometimes it’s too late to say the important things. Even though it’s a secondary storyline, this is the one that broke my heart the most! Mr. Starek, who is Michael’s music teacher and the old man whose house Mirabelle has her nest out of, recently lost his sister. They had been estranged for years, even though it’s clear that Mr. Starek loved her. While the book doesn’t delve into this too much, it’s such a poignant storyline that really hit me hard in the feels. Especially since part of the distance between Mr. Starek and his sister stemmed from the fact that she was a hoarder and he felt helpless to do anything to help her.

- This book is just full of really poignant, hard-hitting quotes that I absolutely loved. Choosing which ones to share was hard, because the writing was *chef’s kiss* It’s a really hard thing to pull off, but Broach manages it. The book is simple on the surface and very easy to follow with a plot that’s engaging but doesn’t seem too deep or complicated. The writing itself is also deceptively simple. Yet, there were quite a few lines or passages that I had to read twice because they stopped me in my tracks with they cut right to the heart of things. It’s a very quotable book.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The author masterfully weaves classical music and deep emotions into this tale of an unlikely duet. The music is eloquently described by appealing to multiple senses that bring the scenes to life. Mirabelle is a goldfinch with a love for singing, and Michael is a piano prodigy preparing for an important Chopin competition. I’m not a classical music lover, but the tender, caring relationship between a bird and a gifted musician forms a sensitive bond that will touch readers’ hearts. Michael is supported by his two teachers, Mr. Starek and Emily, and Mirabelle takes a special interest in helping Michael. Michael notices Mirabelle outside the window one day, and their two worlds mesh when she learns to communicate her ideas. They both look forward to their private, warm-up ritual where their combined talents take Chopin’s music to levels they couldn’t imagine.
Mirabelle narrates the story and offers a creative view of human behavior mixed with life as a goldfinch. She relates how her mother builds a nest in preparation for laying eggs, foods they enjoy, safe places around the yard, and potential dangers, like Mr. Starek’s cat Harmony. Readers can learn a great deal about the habits of actual goldfinches. Mirabelle plays games with her two brothers, like Flight Club, but they don’t understand her infatuation with music. She doesn’t comprehend why Mr. Starek didn’t speak to his sister before she died when she lived so close by. She doesn’t understand his reluctance to visit the abandoned house, especially since it might contain a historically important piano.
Much of the book features Michael’s efforts to prepare for the Chopin Festival, but the story becomes more than that. Mr. Starek is having money problems due to large debts incurred by his sister. Her death left him with regrets and a responsibility to settle her estate. Her home becomes a source of mystery due to her extreme hoarding, and readers will wonder what kinds of treasures might await. Clues are found amid the dusty, cluttered chaos, and readers should be able to foresee how the problems will be resolved.
What didn’t work as well:
There are instances early in the book where information about Chopin and his life is shared. While interesting, this sometimes requires paragraphs or pages and diverts attention from the characters and story. I prefer to have the knowledge less noticeable and more blended into the story, so the message flows more naturally. However, the information is key in resolving Mr. Starek’s problem, and most of the plot is engaging and easy to read.
The Final Verdict:
Great things come in small packages. The author makes Chopin accessible to young readers through the special friendship between Michael and Mirabelle. The story evokes deep feelings and builds to an emotional climax. The book will especially appeal to lovers of animals and the piano, and I recommend you give the book a shot.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Duet

Author: Elise Broach

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: middle grade readers, contemporary, music, biography-like

Publication Date: May 10, 2022

Genre: MG Contemporary

Age Relevance: 8+ (death, animal violence, sickness)

Explanation of Above: There is death mentioned very briefly and sometimes vaguely in this book. There is some animal violence displayed in a little bit of a cartoonish manner in the book. Sickness is also mentioned briefly.

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books

Pages: 304

Synopsis: 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.

Review: I liked this book alright. The book contains a bird MC, which is probably the first of that I’ve read in a bit. The book does well to show the healing power of music and it’s a good little biography-like book on Chopin, a famous pianist, Sand, an author, and Delacroix, a painter. The book is fun and has good character development. The story is simple and sweet and would make a fun bedtime story to read to little ones or a good beginner book for younger middle grade readers.

However, I did think the book was a bit too slow for me personally and it was weirdly formatted. The book is like part biography, with a lot of info dumps about Chopin, Sand, and Delacroix, and part story about this bird and her love of music, but also a side story plot with the humans and their own issues. The stories didn’t really mesh well together in my opinion and there was just a lot going on. The plot is also really loose because of this.

Verdict: It was good.

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t think many of us have read a book from the perspective of an animal. I know I can’t think of many that aren’t fantasy in origin (Redwall would be my first thought), but here we are with Mirabelle, a beautiful little goldfinch, as our narrator.

This is a story of friendship, the joy of music, history and adventure with Mirabelle, who has a roost in the garden of a music teacher, Mr.. Starek, along with her mother and brothers, has grown to love the sound of the piano coming from the man’s window. Becoming enamoured by Michael, who is a child prodigy, ability to play the complex and emotional music of Frédéric François Chopin.

Her initial opinion of Michael is a negative one as he hits the window she’s looking through and scares her, and yet, she comes back as she’s curious about him. Through time, she grows to like him and is excited to hear him play. I like how it shows an example of patience, and how a change of perspective can make your opinions alter. A lesson that is often hard to do, and yet a valuable one.

We learn little historical facts about Chopin through conversations between Mr.. Starek and Michael, as well as another character, Emily, who’s a former student of Starek and had been teaching Michael until recently. It’s done in such a cohesive manner that the reader learns about the various things as Michael does, and I loved how the author weaves facts with the fiction so smoothly. Through the conversations, we learn about the two types of piano Chopin preferred to compose with, as well as learning a little about author George Sand, with whom Chopin had a romantic relationship. There’s also an acknowledgement of French painter Eugène Delacroix, who painted Chopin and Sand, although the work was left incomplete and then cut into two when sold. (Something that makes me sad because the intimacy of the work was lost in favour of money.

The adventure comes in the form of searching for a piano made by Pleyel et Cie that had belonged to the late sister of Mr.. Starek, who had thought his sister had been mistaken. I loved how Michael and Emily’s enthusiasm mirrors Mirabelle’s desire to gain the truth, and they face a battle against time to see if there is one of the piano’s Chopin preferred to play, hidden away under sheets and the clutter that’s left behind. There’s a subtle acknowledgement when it comes to the sister of how one can grieve a loved one and how all forms of bereavement are valid, for Mr.. Starek, it is the inability to talk about his sister for some time as he’s struggling to process many things. It might help expand conversations with children, even though it’s not the main focus of the book.

[Ainun Zahra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect blend of Friendship, Adventure, History and Uniqueness! The author narrated the story eloquently from Mirabelle's pov which made the story easy going, fun and delightful to read. Mirabelle is a great lover of Mr.Starek's piano lessons and never misses chance to peek through the window.There she got the glimpse of Michael, a piano prodigy and Emily, a passionate piano lover. Mirabelle has shown how perspective can change opinions. Michael was someone she thought was rude but ended up realising, "Everyone is allowed to have a bad day once in a while and it would be terrible if I based my whole opinion of the boy on that one bad day."

Michael, Emily and Mirabelle the goldfinch became an absolute group who ventured to discover Plyel where Chopin, a famous composer, made his masterpieces. With nearly perfect narration, it will draw the attention of classic music lovers, keep them hooked and satisfy everyone alike. I found myself searching for masterpieces on Youtube throughout the reading journey. It's unputdownable once you've started it. I will definitely suggest my fellow booklovers and non booklover friends to check it out to fall in love with the magical world. For me, it was a perfect read after a stressed day.

🌞 My Favourite Quote 🌞 :

"For the first time, I wonder what it would be like to really, really love something that you knew you would never be great at."

[Kim Aippersbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broach has a wonderful way of introducing young readers to art and music with such compelling storytelling that the reader never realizes how much they are learning! In the case of Duet, we have the characters of Mirabelle, a young goldfinch with a gift for singing, and Michael, a gifted young pianist who doesn't want a new piano teacher. Mirabelle becomes Michael's muse, singing as he plays and inspiring him to play even better. The description of the music is beautiful and inviting: I looked up the Chopin pieces mentioned so that I could hear what they sounded like! Mirabelle and Michael's friendship is believable and sweet—they can't speak to each other, (Mirabelle is a precocious bird, but still just a bird) but they communicate nonetheless, and each fills a void in the other's life

There is a whole cast of engaging supporting characters, both bird and human. Mirabelle's bird family is a delight! Mr. Starek the piano teacher has his own little story arc, and it's lovely to see everyone coming together to help him in different ways. The mystery of a famous lost piano is solved by Mirabelle and her brothers, and Michael has a satisfying journey developing his piano talent.

A beautiful, uplifting story that will send readers out to find out more about Chopin, and might even inspire them to work on their own talent, whatever it is.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this book won my heart. And if you love birds, music, art, and the people who teach young people in those fields, it might just win yours, too.

Duet is a middle-grade book narrated by a goldfinch named Mirabelle. She lives in a nest in a holly tree with her mother and two brothers. She has been watching the man who's house is next to their tree as he recovers from an illness and deals with stresses of his late sister's house going into foreclosure. He recently retired from teaching piano lessons. That is until his former student Emily brings her current student Michael to work with him.

Michael struggles to play the piano. It isn't until he is left alone with his teacher's piano that he starts playing, and Mirabelle.....(*preventing a spoiler by choosing words carefully*) helps him find his voice and his music. And something amazing happens! And it really is tweet. I mean sweet. (That's the kind of humor you'll find in this.)

Themes of elders with illness, death, hoarding, and foreclosure are woven into the book. All that grounds the beautiful story of working together, growing up, finding one's voice and independence, and more.

I really loved this book and hope to read it aloud to my class of 6-9 year olds this year.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A strong will is a beautiful thing when its put to good purpose."
" What's the difference between a secret and a lie? A secret probably feels like a lie to someone who loves you."

Duet by Elise Broach is a surprise of a story! Told from the unique point of view of a musical goldfinch, it is a tale about Michael, the piano prodigy who refuses to play for his new teacher, Mr. Starek, the retired piano teacher who agrees to take on a new student at the request of a former student and a mystery surrounding a mystery piano. As a retired piano teacher I was very very interested and not disappointed.

Woven throughout are interesting facts about goldfinches and classical music composers and their music, specifically Chopin, George Sand and their friend Eugene Delacroix.

It is heartwarming with just a touch of mystery and would make an excellent read aloud especially for those who want to introduce classical music to children in an exciting and interesting way.

The illustrations throughout add a delightfulness to the reading and the author's note is valuable as well.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to preview it in exchange for my honest thoughts!

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a young musical prodigy is struggling, his teacher introduces him to her teacher. Michael, the student, is still struggling, but he is learning so much about Chopin from his new teacher, Mr. Starek. A goldfinch is enamored with the trio: two teachers and a student. At first Michael scares her, but in time they make music together and a bond grows between them. Emily, Michael's first teacher, rekindles her friendship with her own piano teacher and mentor. Both Emily and Michael know that Mr. Starek is struggling with managing the estate of his estranged sister who has passed away. They offer to help him and discover she has a piano much like the one that Chopin used to compose upon. Michael practices on that piano and his musical skill and confidence grow in time for his upcoming competition. There is music, magic, and mystery in this story that is quite interesting. Though I am not a music student, I do love pianos. I hope that my students are as intrigued by this story where hard work and a little luck may save humans and birds in this story!

Lovely story that I cannot wait to share with my music teachers in my elementary school buildings.

[Shahridzuan Azali · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Review copy from Times Reads]

A young bird as the narrator? Cute!!

That's one of the main reasons why I really enjoyed my read. The POV was executed neatly, allowing me to truly see things from Mirabelle's eyes. Not only was Mirabelle an adorable narrator, but she also functioned as a gateway into the world of birds. Pretty immersive!

I'm trying hard to find the words to describe the experience flipping page after page. Perhaps this might do some justice...

Reading "Duet" is like drinking chamomile tea on a rainy day, as you look out the window, wrapped in a blanket, with the soft tunes of the piano enveloping your room.

The novel's cozy, exciting at times, warm and unique. The bond between Michael and Mirabelle reminds me a lot of Stuart Little. Everything's just so freaking cute!

It doesn't take long for the story to kick off and, while maintaining simplicity, the plot takes several exciting turns.

I'd recommend this to both younger readers and adults. It's the perfect pick to relax and would very likely work well if you're looking to develop a reading habit.

[Littlefoot Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to TBR & Beyond Tours and Little Brown for a copy of this eARC for review!

Y'all I was not prepared for the endearing friendship element to this middle-grade mystery. The POV is from Mirabelle, the goldfinch. She tells us this story of Michael and her unique perspective really gives a fresh approach to telling this story. I adored their friendship and the multiple tidbits that make up this story. We are learning throughout about music, facts about composers like Chopin, and additionally facts about goldfinches.

Altogether this little mystery, friendship, and musical elements are mixed to create a magical and endearing story where the pacing is on point, the educational bits are weaved as well as a composer writing a masterpiece.

I would highly recommend this story to anyone, but especially to those who love music. As a piano player myself, I found myself reminded of how much I miss my piano!

[Elena Santangelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a musician AND an avid birdwatcher (one of my favorite species is the goldfinch). So for me, this book was delightful. Too many books about music are superficial and often downright wrong. The author of DUET obviously understands music and she describes beautifully what a rush it can be to let yourself get lost in music. I do question a little more the bird facts as presented, but for the purposes of the plot, they work.

The characters, both bird and human, all have unique personalities and I came to care for all of them (okay, maybe not the guys from the bank). Mirabelle is a terrific narrator and heroine.
 
Also, this novel has a lot of music history in it, but it's not boring-- it enhances the story. I learned a lot about Chopin that I didn't know and was entertained the whole time.

Absolutely recommended for the 8-12 age group it's written for, but no reason it can't be enjoyed by teens and adults.

[Hwee Goh · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Michael is just a boy at a piano. I am just a bird on a branch.”

Michael Jin is a child prodigy, a real talent for Chopin, and his piano teacher Emily sends him to Mr Starek who’s something of a Chopin expert.

At first grumpy about being shoved off to another teacher (for he likes Emily), Michael gradually turns around when he finds his muse on a tree: Mirabelle the goldfinch, who sings along with him.

We watch everything unfold through the eyes of Mirabelle, which was refreshing, thrilling, and author Elise Broach succeeds in portraying her with such spunk and heart.

Broach also speaks of musical talent, and music, of intuition and imaginative freedom against a backdrop of Chopin’s legacy — not just his music but his Erard and Pleyel, pianos he used to play.

This was an empowering tale about both bird and boy doing their best, and young readers who love music (or who love bird puns) would enjoy this.

📚: @times.reads

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love classical music. I played classical piano for 13 years. Chopin is my all-time favorite composer. This book should have been a slam-dunk for me. Here’s why it wasn’t: the story being narrated by a bird felt forced and gimmicky to me. I just wanted it to be told from Michael’s perspective. I also am not convinced that kids will connect with Chopin and a missing piano the way I did. I think that is why Elise Broach brought in the element of Mirabelle the goldfinch as a narrator, to try to appeal more to a kid audience, but it made for too much going on in the narrative.

I could see the eventual audiobook of this story being more enjoyable if they layer the Chopin pieces discussed on top of the narration. I found myself going to YouTube every time a piece was mentioned just so I could hear what they were describing.

[CONSTANCE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elise Broach has given us so many and such different middle grade books. If you aren’t familiar with her, there’s definitely a book of hers for every kind of reader.

This was perfectly described as “A bird, a boy, a musical mystery.” Exactly! Michael is an 11 yr old gifted piano player who is not happy about his having to take lessons from Mr. Starek – an old man. But Michael’s surpassed his other teacher, Emily, and she took from Mr. Starek. Living in a tree near the piano room is a family of gold finches, one of whom, Marabelle, begins singing with Michael as he plays Chopin. The two encourage each other to sing/play as they never thought possible.
When Mr. Starek’s sister dies, the trio (or quartet if you include Marabelle) discover a treasure amidst her house of items filling every nook and cranny. A treasure that could change all of their lives.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mirabelle is a musically talented goldfinch who dreams of becoming a singing star. Mr. Starek is a Chopin expert and retired piano teacher who has been dealing with illness and the death of his estranged sister. Michael is a talented piano player who is struggling with all the changes in his life including starting middle school, and his dad’s new job which keeps him away from home most of the time. The upcoming Chopin Music Festival competition brings them together and changes all their lives.

The story contains a real life mystery involving Frederic Chopin, writer George Sand, & painter Eugene Delacroix. Author’s notes provide info. for those who would like to learn more. Highly recommend for music lovers, fans of talking animal stories, and anyone who enjoys stories about friendship especially the unlikely kind. * Good Audio

[Autumn Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did this as a read aloud with the kids and have mixed feelings.
Positive- it was a relatively unique and fun way to dive into arts and music history of Chopin, George Sand and Eugene Delaque (spelling is probably off). Story was pretty sweet and delved into some great topics.
Negative- the main character (an adolescent bird) was constantly doing things against her mother’s wishes and lying/keeping things from her in the name of “being an artist.” She encouraged others to break rules and find ways to break rules and seemed to have no consequences. (The only time they found themselves in trouble were for random reasons/not related to the lies/problems they made) She also was very negative about the new baby birds (“little monsters”) and constantly complaining about having to be around them/having to help her mother.

[kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read (and loved!) several other books by this author, so I jumped at the chance to read her newest book, Duet. And I was not disappointed! This delightful story about a goldfinch who becomes a muse for a piano prodigy is just the right mix of mystery, suspense, and a special friendship.

Taking readers on a journey that focuses on the friendship between Michael, a piano prodigy preparing for a big competition, and Mirabelle, the goldfinch who can sing along to his masterful playing, the author seamlessly weaves into the book facts about goldfinches, composer Frederic Chopin, author George Sand, and painter Eugene Delacroix. An excellent author’s note at the end gives the reader just enough information to follow the research rabbit trails for more information about all three creative geniuses.

This clever book is expertly paced with an enchanting rhythm and would make a lovely read aloud for any reader!

Many thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Net Galley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book aloud to my 9 y/o twins and I love all of the ways we connected with one another and with elements of the story through sharing the experience of reading it together. We’ve started noticing goldfinches when we’re out in nature, and now we’ll always think of Mirabelle and her family when we see one. The book made us curious about Chopin and sent us in search of his music, which is now often requested and played in our home. Despite not having much “action” (as my son remarked), this story held their interest and sparked so many good conversations about things like family, dedication and practice, telling the truth, friendship and caring for others, and of course, classical music and art history. We also learned a fair bit about birds!

[Ellen]

If like me you're a big fan of Elise Broach's Masterpiece (or A Cricket in Times Square, one of her inspirations), you'll also enjoy the story of sassy, confident goldfinch Mirabelle and her involvement with Mr. Starek, the elderly man who sets out birdfeed for her family, and his young piano student preparing for a Chopin competition. Be ready for lots of musing on history and the meaning of Art. Main character/narrator Mirabelle is a fantastic character with a delightfully original voice, but her cautiously supportive mother and energetic brothers charm too, and the human characters are just as lovely. And they really all are lovely, minus Mr Starek's misnamed cat Harmony - largely the book's action is spurred by circumstance, not villainy.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my 10yo: Duet by Elise Broach is an exhilarating tale of a young Goldfinch's relationship with her family, a piano teacher named Mr. Starek, and his new student Michael. When Michael learns some things about legendary composer Frédéric Chopin and Mr. Starek's deceased sister Halina, it leads to a string of questions that could change everything. With dashes of mystery, adventure, and heartfelt sentiment, this book has something for every reader. 4⭐️

From my 8yo: I recommend this book if you like stuff like breaking into houses, piano playing, Goldfinches, Chopin, and close brushes with DEATH. 4⭐️

From my 6yo: You should not read this book. It is just boring history about Chopin. 1.5⭐️ because goldfinches are cute.