The Rabbit Listened

Abstract

The Rabbit Listened is a children's picture book that demonstrates in few words and even fewer pages the healing power of unconditional support. The book tells the story of Taylor, a child with curly black hair wearing a striped teal and white onesie. Taylor builds a pyramidal tower from wooden blocks and looks on with pride. Out of nowhere, a swarm of black birds swoop down, crash into the tower, and reduce it to rubble. Taylor crouches in a corner, overwhelmed by the feelings of loss. A parade of animal friends approaches Taylor to offer counsel. The chicken clucks apologies and encourages Taylor to talk. The bear advises Taylor to growl and shout in anger. The elephant trumpets that it can fix and rebuild the tower. The hyena suggests laughing about it, the ostrich recommends pretending it did not happen. The kangaroo sees the rubble as a mess and proposes to throw it away. The snake hisses, advising Taylor to topple someone else's tower. Taylor does not feel like doing anything and the parade of counsel leaves with disdain. Taylor remains slouched in the corner. As Taylor languishes, a cotton-tailed rabbit hops closer and closer until Taylor feels the warmth of its fur. They initially sit in silence until Taylor invites the rabbit to stay. The rabbit listens as Taylor talks, shouts, remembers, laughs, hides under a box, throws everything away, and fantasizes about destroying someone else's prized creation. Undaunted, the rabbit settles in. Over time, Taylor dreams of building again, to which the rabbit pounces in excitement. This story conveys a lesson to those mourning a loss and to those comforting others experiencing a loss. This is done through the use of tender illustrations and simple language. The author's use of a unisex name, her depiction of a child of nebulous gender, and her use of an olive skin tone potentially belonging to various ethnicities is clever and inclusive. This depiction enables children and parents of all backgrounds to relate to Taylor and the experience of loss. The illustrations of Taylor and the rabbit provoke warm feelings within the reader, sparking a desire to nuzzle and cuddle with both. The author illustrates two approaches to comforting others and their impact on the bereaved. The counsel of animals instructs Taylor on how to feel and how to process the loss. Taylor oscillates between sadness and discomfort when hearing the advice. Like many bereaved persons, Taylor has neither the space nor the support to express true feelings.