Corry Doerrfeld’s 2018 picture book The Rabbit Listened is a good solid story. It blends appealing child-appropriate randomness with lessons about emotions.
A kid (Taylor) is building, and has just completed an impressive blocks structure when suddenly a huge flock of black birds flies through, knocking everything over. (Are they real? No clue.)
Taylor’s very upset. A series of animals approach to comfort them. A chicken suggesting talking about it, a bear shouting about it, an elephant remembering how things were, so they can fix it, and so on. Each animal suggests something that is either in their nature (hyenas do laugh, sort of) or part of their cultural associations (like the elephant remembering). (Are the animals Taylor’s pets? Stuffed animals? Imaginary? No clue.)
None of these tactics appeal, and, more importantly, none of the creatures, no matter how well-intentioned, seem to pay attention to Taylor and their needs.
The rabbit, though, the rabbit listened. The book repeats that line several times, underscoring its importance, and Taylor grows to fill the silence and acceptance, recovering on their own.
