The Highly Sensitive Rabbit is about Aurora, an overwhelmed rabbit trying to figure out how to navigate big feelings and being different from her siblings. What looks to them as not caring, being too much or worrying about nothing is just how Aurora is. The book can definitely be a way to help young readers connect with some of the big feelings they may be having and use the coping mechanisms from the animals in their every day life.

It can be hard to be different whether that means being neurodivergent, empathetic or still learning to regulate emotions, so to have Aurora as a guide can be a wonderful edition to the library of a child that feels like they might be "highly sensitive" sometimes too. However, at points, it did feel like the tone was not aimed at a younger audience and so it felt slightly unclear which age range the book is for exactly.

The non-fiction facts at the end help tie the whole story together as a learning experience that bridges fiction and non-fiction (and also helps parents answer questions about these desert animals that may be strange to their children without the use of a quick google search).

I love this story! As an introvert, I wish someone had told me this story when I was little. We live in an extroverted world. I would recommend this story to anyone who has an introverted, sensitive child in their life. The pictures are beautiful with wonderful information about the desert creatures.

This sweet and beautiful picture book follows a cotttontail named Aurora who is an empath. She feels the emotions and situations of other animals around her and this makes her different from her other siblings. One day when a flash flood ereak havoc in the desert and lay ruins to her burrow, she meets other animals who teach her what she can do to positively react to overwhelming situations.

Here the author has explored the art of expressing one's own thoughts, breathing techniques, lending a listening ear, taking time for yourself, setting boundaries and so on. These insightful techniques could be immensely helpful to start a conversation with your young ones about learning to cultivate good habits and regulating their emotions.

The highly sensitive rabbit is a celebration of kindness, empathy and compassion towards everyone and to your own self. With beautifully captivating illustrations, this story will feel like magic and surprises. I'd definitely recommend this.

Aurora the rabbit will teach children about feelings they may not have names for yet -- anxiety, being overwhelmed, and empathy. The sensitive animals Aurora meets teach her coping strategies. Charming, colorful illustrations by Katy Tanis will draw young readers into the story. The final pages provide information about the desert wildlife and plants that may be unfamiliar.

'The Highly Sensitive Rabbit' follows Aurora, a desert bunny who feels the emotions of others and her environment deeply. When her home is destroyed by her flood, she relies on the animals around her to help her through it.

This book is not only about how to deal with the world around you, but gives you useful techniques. It is a celebration of the wildlife found around the author, exploring different species of animals and plants as well. It is beautifully illustrated and serves as a good introduction of techniques to help when your situation feels like too much.

I think that the techniques could have been delved into a bit more, but understand that the target audience is young, By sparking their curiosity, their parents can fill in the gaps. All in all, I do like this book, and would recommend to younger readers

The art in this book is incredibly stunning!
And as a mother of a child who is very sensitive, I absolutely loved the heart of this story.
I read this with my (very sensitive) four-year-old daughter and right away I can tell she connected to the story. It is very hard to keep her attention at this age, but she loved listening to this story! I can’t wait to buy the physical copy so that we can admire all the vibrant colors in person.

I am always looking for rabbit themed books for my bunny loving 2 year old. This book is beautiful and teaches a wonderful lesson about things you can do when you're feeling overwhelmed. I'm definitely going to add this to our library!

A delightful tale, lavishly illustrated, that reminds us all of the power of empathy, connection and understanding. Children and adults alike will find comfort and inspiration in these pages.

I’m always drawn to a great SEL picture book, and The Highly Sensitive Rabbit truly delivered. This story encourages sensitive children to embrace and celebrate their unique strengths as they follow little rabbit’s journey and the support he receives along the way. As someone who lives in the desert, I especially appreciated the beautiful Sonoran Desert setting, the charming illustrations, and the fascinating animal and plant facts included at the end.

“Being sensitive did often make it harder being in the world. But it helped her see its wild and glorious beauty too.”

Best children’s book I’ve read in a while!!!! My younger self would’ve felt so seen and understood if she’d read this story.

I loved the way this book taught highly sensitive kids how to feel better and deal with their sensitivity, the boundaries part was probably my favorite! Children aren’t taught how to set boundaries enough, despite their importance. Highly recommend this book, especially for sensitive/highly sensitive kids🤍

And of course I need to mention the beautiful illustrations, they made the book so much better with how adorable they were!

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is truly a wonderful book. The story is beautiful and heartwarming and the artwork is stunning which adds to the depth and feeling of the story. I see myself as a child in this sensitive little rabbit and being a rabbit lover only made the story more endearing and special. This book thoughtfully conveys that it's okay to be sensitive and it shows ways how a child and even adults can respond to others in their sensitivity.

The end of the book also includes drawings with descriptions of the desert animals appearing throughout the back so children have an opportunity to learn more about these animals.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this lovely book. I adored it. First off, the illustrations are stunning. Kids will love looking at the vibrant colors and gorgeous designs. This book is perfect as a read aloud for morning meeting. Many students will identity with the sensitive rabbit who gets overstimulated easily and feels things intensely. I loved that author teaches about setting boundaries and shared other strategies through the desert animals that could help Aurora.

The Highly Sensitive Rabbit gives us a look at the beauty yet difficulty that comes with being an empath. As little Rabbit's burrow is destroyed, she goes through the waves of grief and feeling the feelings of her community. She, herself, learns to work with her emotions as do her loved ones. A great tool for teaching kids about empathy and care.

The story is of a small rabbit who has a burden of caring for everyone in her sphere. After a storm wreaks havoc on her desert environment, she speaks with other to ease her burden.
The illustrations by Katy Tanis are simple, perfect in tone and color, and show much care for the fauna.
Well suited for reading WITH someone any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, waiting room, or your local public library.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected readers' proof on Thorium PDF from Sounds True Publishing | Sounds True via NetGalley. Pub Date Oct 07, 2025 **** review
#TheHighlySensitiveRabbit by @judith.orloff.md and Jennifer Adams with illustrator Katy Tanis @daughter_earth_illustration #NetGalley @soundstruekids @soundstrue #HighlySensitiveChildren #ChildrensBooks #MindfulParenting #kidlit #EmotionalIntelligence #PictureBook #EmotionsMatter #ReadToYourKids #EmpathyMatters #SensitiveKids #ParentingTools #comfortingbehaviors

I adore this book, the Highly Sensitive Rabbit by Judith Orloff is a charming children’s book that follows Aurora, a sensitive cottontail rabbit, on her journey of self-acceptance in the Sonoran Desert. As someone who lives in the Sonoran Desert I loved the references to animals, plants and weather that can be seen in our area. The back included descriptions of desert animals and plants.
Through encounters with animals like a spiny lizard and cactus wren, Aurora learns to embrace her empathy and sensitivity through communication, spending time alone and setting boundaries. The vibrant illustrations and gentle storytelling make it engaging for young readers. Ideal for highly sensitive children, their parents or anyone who works with children, it offers valuable insights into self-care and emotional resilience. I highly recommend this book to anyone who values self-care. I will be adding this book to my SPED classroom. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Sounds True Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The Highly Sensitive Rabbit is a beautifully written and illustrated story about a little cottontail named Aurora, who feels deeply and sees beauty in every detail of the desert around her. When her family’s home is destroyed by a flood, Aurora sets off on a journey that gently teaches children how sensitivity can be a strength — not a weakness.

The desert setting is stunning, and I especially loved how each animal she meets reflects different ways to practice self-care and emotional awareness.

As someone who works with stories for children, I appreciated how the book normalizes quiet time, introspection, and emotional intelligence without being overly didactic.

This book would be wonderful for sensitive children, their parents, or even professionals who work with kids, especially therapists or educators. It’s a gentle resource with beautiful art and a warm, empowering message.

Recommended for ages 4–8, and for anyone who's ever been told they’re “too sensitive.”

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

This made my old autistic self nearly start bawling (complimentary).

There's a sensitive rabbit in the desert who struggles with being overstimulated and not being like their siblings, but they also have a unique and wonderful perspective on things. Through speaking to all manner of desert flora and fauna they collect good advice to help them cope and find peace.

The art is absolutely gorgeous!

The writing is wonderful and incredibly helpful and meaningful.

The information about the plants and animals is a brilliant touch.

I genuinely wish I had a book like this when I was a kid!

Absolutely love it!

The Highly Sensitive Rabbit is a sweet children's story about a little rabbit named Aurora who is very sensitive. The book teaches kids that it's okay to be sensitive and that it can be a wonderful gift. With beautiful illustrations and a gentle message, this book is a great way to help children understand and embrace their own sensitivity.

This was so sweet. Not only does it show it's ok to be sensitive, others may feel that way too, and there are ways to help cope with those big feelings. I thought the illustrations were very cute and brought emotions out in them.

Thank you so much to Sounds True Publishing and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Aurora is a sensitive rabbit, she doesn’t fit in with her siblings and is more aware of what surrounds her, caring how everyone feels around her. One day a flash flood destroys their home and she becomes sad, she finds new friends within her desert who help her find ways to feel better.

This was really sweet, I loved the story that was told about the beautiful desert rabbit and her high sensitivity, she was so sweet and cared about other animals and beings above herself, it was so lovely. The illustrations were just gorgeous showing what everything in her desert looked like, what all the other animals looked like, I also loved that she stood out amomstgt her siblings but that she matched her mama it was so beautiful to see.

The back of the book is also really sweet as it expands on what we saw within the story about the animals we met on Aurora journey to the plants that surrounded her I loved that the extra pieces were added to help learn more. A very wonderfully created story, a great for any reader, but really important for those that are also sensitive beings as it gives great advice throughout on how to cope with being sensitive and how to stand up for yourself even if it is very difficult.