Morris's disappearing bag

Year 1999
Pages 40

Worth buying if: You enjoy Rosemary Wells's character-driven picture books and repeated small-animal humor.

Skip it if: You want complex plot or chapter-book length rather than a 40-page picture story.

Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780670887217. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.

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Summary

In Rosemary Wells's illustrated picture book Morris's disappearing bag, mischievous Morris believes his bag has vanished after a simple trick, leading to gentle humor and a warm lesson about curiosity, friendship, and unexpected surprises over 40 pages.

Why this book now

This Penguin Group USA edition reintroduces Wells's classic picture-book charm for new parents and classrooms seeking playful, age‑perfect storytelling and illustration.

30-second preview

Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.

00:00

1-sentence hook

Morris's disappearing bag follows a small dog, Morris, as a magic trick turns his bag — and his day — upside down.

Card 1 of 2

Best for readers who...

Good fit if you want...

  • You enjoy Rosemary Wells's character-driven picture books and repeated small-animal humor.
  • You read aloud for preschoolers who delight in simple mystery and reveal moments.
  • If you enjoy sharp dialogue, the ending turns expectations on their head.

Maybe skip if...

  • You want complex plot or chapter-book length rather than a 40-page picture story.
  • You prefer realistic nonfiction or books without fanciful tricks and anthropomorphic pets.
  • You are specifically hunting for the newest framing rather than a backlist perspective.

Mood / Vibe Tags

playful gentle curious cozy Quick read

Decided it fits?

Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780670887217

Worth buying if: You enjoy Rosemary Wells's character-driven picture books and repeated small-animal humor.

Skip it if: You want complex plot or chapter-book length rather than a 40-page picture story.

Buy This Edition on Amazon

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.

Reader guide

Cues to help you decide faster.

Reading commitment

Quick Easy to move through

A single 10–20 minute read-aloud session: short pages with illustrations let caregivers share the whole story in one sitting or revisit pages for discussion.

What stands out here

This 1999 Penguin Group USA edition highlights Rosemary Wells's warm illustrations and a compact 40-page picture-book format suited to preschool collections.

Best way to approach it

Read aloud with expressive voices, pausing for children to predict where Morris's bag went and to enjoy the visual clues in Wells's artwork.

Exact edition: ISBN-13 9780670887217

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.