The Rabbit Listened
When Taylor's block tower is knocked down, the animals offer the wrong things—shouting or fixing—until the rabbit simply stays. It gives children language for 'I don't want to talk yet' and is short enough for an upset child.
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld is estimated to take about 4.5 minutes to read aloud (296 words, about 1 sentence a page), and it lands best with children aged 3-6.
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- Estimated read-aloud time
- about 4.5 minutesEstimated read-aloud time
- Word count
- 296Counted words
- Sentences per page
- 1Sentence per page
- Re-read tolerance
- 4/5repeat friendly
- Vocabulary level
- 2/5everyday words
- Best for
- Ages 3-6Our editorial fit
Our review
When Taylor's block tower is knocked down, various animals arrive to help, but they offer the wrong things, like shouting or trying to fix it. Finally, the rabbit arrives to do nothing but stay.
This offers a gentle way to give a small child the language for saying 'I don't want to talk yet.' It is short enough to be read even when a child is in the middle of being upset.
Themes
- loss
- listening
- comfort
- friendship
Books like The Rabbit Listened
Matched by refrain, density, length, and listener—not just the subject.
Grumpy Monkeyabout 6 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
The Color Monster: A Story About Emotionsabout 5 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
The Goodbye Bookabout 3.5 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
In My Heart: A Book of Feelingsabout 6 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Awayabout 6.5 minutes estimated · 3/5 re-read
Questions parents ask
How long does it take to read The Rabbit Listened aloud?
About 4.5 minutes at an unhurried pace, including a standard allowance for page turns, pictures and participation, from a word count of 296. Stopping for a longer conversation on every page will add more time.
What age is The Rabbit Listened actually for?
Ages 3-6 in our testing, which is narrower than the publisher's range. With 1 sentence a page and vocabulary at 2 out of 5, it asks for that much attention span and no more.
Does The Rabbit Listened survive being read on repeat?
Yes. It survives a fortnight of nightly repeats, which is the real test.
Is The Rabbit Listened a good book for a child who will not sit still?
It helps that it has a refrain a child can join in with. Those three features are what keep a wriggling toddler listening, far more than the subject matter does.
Will my child memorise The Rabbit Listened?
Probably, and fast. The book leans on a repeated refrain, and at 4 out of 5 for re-read tolerance it survives the nightly repeats that get a book memorised. Expect your child to chant the pattern back before they can actually read.
Can a beginning reader read The Rabbit Listened on their own?
It is closer than most picture books. With 1 sentence a page and plain vocabulary (2 out of 5), a confident early reader can attempt it, though it is written to be read aloud first.
What themes does The Rabbit Listened cover?
We tag it with loss, listening, comfort and friendship. Those are the threads that actually run through the book, not just the ones on the cover, which is how it earns its place on our themed lists rather than a keyword match.
Lists The Rabbit Listened is on
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