The world's greatest singer is right outside your window. But you have to notice.

The Northern mockingbird's brilliant song--a loud, bright, liquid sampling of musical notes and
phrases--has made it a beloved companion and the official bird of five states. Many of our favorite
songs and poems feature mockingbirds.

Mockingbirds have been companions to humans for centuries. Many Native American myths and
legends feature mockingbirds, often teaching humans to speak. Thomas Jefferson's mockingbird,
"Dick", was the first White House pet. John James Audubon's portrait of a rattlesnake raiding a
mockingbird's nest sparked outrage in the world of art. Atticus Finch's somber warning to his children,
"Remember, it's a sin to kill a Mockingbird," is known throughout the world. Some jazz musicians credit
mockingbirds with teaching them a four-note call that says, "Break's over." And mockingjays--a hybrid
between jabberjays and mockers--are a symbol of the rebel cause in the Hunger Games trilogy.

But in the early 1900s the mocker was plummeting toward extinction. Too many had been trapped,
sold, and caged. Something had to be done. To the rescue came a powerful and determined group of
women.

Now, National Book Award and Newbery honor-winner Phillip Hoose brings the story of the important
and overlooked connection between humans and mockingbirds--past, present, and future. It is the third
volume of his bird trilogy.

Duet is a study in the power of song. As author Steve Sheinkin puts it, "This book will change how
you listen to the world."