WE CAN HEAR WITHOUT EARS
And Other Things You Didn't Know We Plants Could Do
Available April 7, 2026
Plants have secret skills. They are water wizards, finding water in the driest landscapes. They are a community, sending underground messages—and even food and water!—to other plants. And yes, they can hear without ears.
Here’s a wondrous picture book for children ages 4–8 that will shake up the way readers think about plants.
Hey, creatures of the world! The plants would like to set a few things straight in this entertaining account of the astonishing skills they possess. Readers will be familiar with some of these abilities, such as photosynthesis, but others are likely to amaze children and adults alike, such as the fact that trees can communicate with—and send food and water to—one another through their roots with the help of fungi that connect them!
Bursting with fun facts and plants with attitude, We Can Hear Without Ears is an energetic account of the invisible ways plants defend, nourish, strengthen themselves, and communicate with others. It will awe budding botanists, nature lovers, and even those who may think plants are boring. These plants are anything but boring; in fact, they’re thrilling, and as they share their secrets, they are sure to transform the way you think about flora.
By Lisa Westberg Peters
Illustrated Danielle Ridolfi
Published by Astra Young Readers
REVIEWS FOR WE CAN HEAR WITHOUT EARS
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
*A delightful, humorous journey that will have youngsters regarding flora with a newfound respect.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
The plants in this cheeky, irreverent nature study are on a mission to shed their stationary reputation and let readers know they have a lot going on under their calm, inanimate demeanor.
Booklist
“We’d like to set a few things straight,” starts the Plant Kingdom, explaining how making food is their “superpower” and how animals couldn’t even live without them and the oxygen produced by their photosynthesis ... A mild scolding that may well leave young readers with a whole new perspective on their place in nature.
Top Ten Reasons Why I Wanted to Write About Plants for Kids
10. I love plants.
I grow them in my yard. I talk to them, and I feel bad if they die. I even have a sweatshirt that says, “I might look like I’m listening to you. But in my head, I’m thinking about getting more plants.” They say to write about your passions, and I’m passionate about plants, especially native plants.
9. Plants are important.
Humans and animals of all kinds need plants. We eat plants – like the oats in our oatmeal -- or we eat the animals that have eaten plants – like the chickens that eat food made from corn or soybeans. Either way, we can’t live without plants. That alone seems like a very good reason to write about them for young people. After all, young people will grow up someday and be in charge of the world. They may as well know what’s important.
8. Kids read more than enough books about animals.
It’s true, kids love animals, especially baby animals. I didn’t think I was the right writer to tell them about cheetahs. But I figured I was the one to write a book that might give kids lots of reasons to love plants.
7. I wanted to hear what plants sounded like if they could talk.
I discovered they’re a little sassy. Maybe they have felt ignored by people for too long. I liked the sassy voice I was hearing in my head and wanted to put that down on paper.
6. I wanted to learn more about all their clever skills.
Once I started to learn how busy plants are all day, I wanted to know more. They can defend themselves, they can attack their enemies, they can find water in dry places, and they can hear without ears! They do all this without being able to move. I was pulled in right away.
5. I admire a good chef.
What plants are able to make in their leafy kitchens is nothing less than magical. Every day, while soaking up a bit of solar energy, they throw together the simplest ingredients – air and water – and make their own food. Why not give these celebrity chefs a little attention?
4. I’m persistent.
Once I thought of the idea of writing about clever plants, I couldn’t give it up. I’m like a dog that won’t let go of a bone. Writers need persistence as much as talent. Another word for persistence might be stubbornness. And related to this reason ...
3. I’m practical.
After writing a hundred drafts to try to discover the best approach to the subject, it seemed like a shame to just give up. Having said that, I do not consider all the time spent searching for the right approach to be a waste of time. All the writing I do is good practice for the next writing I do.
2. I didn’t have the courage to write a book about fungi.
Plants are needy, too. They can’t live without all the microscopic fungi that live in the soil. And if plants can’t live without them, that means we can’t, either. But so far, microscopic fungi is a subject I might let other children’s book writers focus on.
And the number one reason I wanted to write about plants for kids:
1. I wanted to see if anybody would create stuffies to go with the book.
Wouldn’t a Venus fly trap stuffy be cool? Or a bright yellow sunflower stuffy? Or a fuzzy red maple leaf? Perfect!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR
Lisa Westberg Peters is the author of over twenty children’s books, including PUSH-PULL MORNING and OUR FAMILY TREE, which won the Minnesota Book Award. She lives with her husband and lots of native plants in St. Paul, Minnesota, and she grows even more native plants at her cabin in northwest Wisconsin.
Danielle Ridolfi is a picture-book author, illustrator, and instructor in children’s studies and illustration. She was the 2024 recipient of the Ezra Jack Keats/Kerlan Memorial Fellowship. She is the author-illustrator of WHEN THE DARK CLOUDS COME.