One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey by Henry Cole
What if every bag was used seven hundred times?
| Overture A forest. A tree. Felled then shipped to a paper mill. Tree fibers pressed together then rolled into a sheet of paper. Paper. Cut and folded. Paper bag created. Entr'acte A boy enters a shop and purchases a flashlight. The shopkeeper places his purchase in a paper bag. The saga begins. |  |
Song of the Journey
The boy carries his flashlight home in that little bag. This bit of cellulose will be a part of life events both momentous and mundane. As the years pass it will hold the boy's music, snacks, an engagement ring, flower petals, movie popcorn, toys, kite string, seashells, checkers, markers, family photos and eventually a tiny seedling. A bag is an integral part of life, spanning years of tender relationships. Father embraces his young son and reads to him by flashlight. This father becomes a grandfather. He embraces his grandson and together they share a story with a bag of cookies.
Illustrations are Intricate black and white drawings, some with a soft ink wash. Faces overflow with personality and charm. Expressive body language is omnipresent: a little customer rocking back on his heels to reach the counter, a young child holding tightly to his grandfather's hand as they walk together. Each image is chock full of extraordinary details. The only spot of color is the soft brown bag. Finding the bag on each page becomes a little game.
Coda
The life of individuals as well as trees come full circle. Generations. Renewal. Time. Life. Love. It’s all in One Little Bag.
A wordless book that says so much.
Author's Note
One Little Bag: A South Texas Journey
What would happen if a little bag made a journey in my community? Could a bag make a difference for my friends? Could it ease some of the isolation anxiety? I decided to try a little experiment. It began with four paper bags.
  |  I filled the bags with homemade chocolate chip cookies, a handful of individually wrapped Life Savers, and a friendly positive message. A letter accompanied each bag described Cole's glorious picture book and suggested ways to keep the bag circulating throughout my community. Instructions were: Refill the bag with perhaps a small treat, an encouraging message, a handmade card or any item that the intended recipient might enjoy. Place the bag on the doorstep. Afterward send the recipients a text message, inviting them open the door and discover a surprise waiting at the front door. |
Copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: April 7, 2020 Publisher: Scholastic Press ISBN: 978-1338359978
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