Mato knows he's supposed to be proud of being a mockingbird, but the loud, flashy blue jay and the other backyard birds taunt him for his dull gray feathers and his dreams of adventure. He wants to peck insects like the woodpecker, sip nectar like the hummingbird, or join the waxwings on their exciting trip to the faraway place. However, as Mato grows up, he begins to realize that colorful feathers aren't the only things that make a bird special.

Join Mato on his adventures in the backyard and beyond in a coming-of-age story that reveals the hidden lives of the birds right outside your back door.