The Other Way to Listen

A young person asks an old man to teach him to listen so he can hear some of the quiet things the old man has told him about: rocks, seeds growing, flowers blooming... And the old man replies that "you have to learn it from the hills and the ants...They do the teaching around here." And the young person keeps going out, even though s/he isn't hearing anything special, because s/he just likes it, and one day...well, what do you think s/he heard?
[I know other reviewers have labelled the young person girl and boy, but there are no restrictions in the book--the shoulder length hair and jeans could indicate either gender.]
Illustrated by one of my favorite children's illustrators: Peter Parnall. I like his shifting perspective, spare show more drawings, and his mix of color and lines. show less

A girl knew an old man who had a special way of listening. He could walk by a cornfield and actually hear the corn singing, and once, he even heard wildflower seeds bursting open, beginning to grow underground. The girl asked the man to teach her to listen, but he said she had to learn how from the hills, ants, lizards, and weeds. For a long time, she tried without success, and she almost gave up. But then, one day, she began a joyous song to the hills and, without even trying, she discovered the secret of the other way to listen.***SRC Quiz***

A boy learns from his grandpa that the world sings it's own song and that we can listen with more than just our ears - but with our souls as well.

Children's Folklore

I really like Byrd Baylor and Peter Parnell together. This is a beaut to look at, but the story seems watered down compared with their other works. Baylor usually interprets such rich stories and this one just feels a little empty.

The poetry and thoughts are lovely. I couldn't agree more, and this book a beautiful tool to encourage active, humble listening, and to turn our hearts to wonder. I couldn't escape my own desire to see a different kind of artwork. I wanted more than sketches. So many lovely images called for color. Still a thoughtful, provoking read.

When you kow the "other way to listen" you can hear wildflower seeds bursting open. You can hear rocks murmuring and hills singing, and it seems like the most matural things in the world. Of course it takes a lot of practice, and you can't be ina hurry.Most people never hear these things at all ... [Title precis.]

This book is not easy for elementary children to understand by themselves. It makes a great read aloud but it takes some discussion and scaffolding. I have seen it used wonderfully as an opening to a nature study and during the first six weeks of school - touching on the learning and teaching themes.

Brief Summary: Using the essence of nature, you can learn to “hear” the sounds of the natural world.

Why I loved it: I loved the illustrations and the calm way this book allows readers to think about an everyday thing with a new perspective.
How to use in a classroom: After reading this book, it will be fun to take students outside and have them sit and listen to nature. This will allow for discussion about what they are hearing and how often we can go without noticing the sounds around us and about being patient and waiting to see the beauty that the natural world has to offer.

Book Citation (APA): Baylor, B., & Parnall, P. (2010). The other way to listen. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.