This is My Bag: A Story of the Unhoused

by Roxanne Chester, Abe Matias (Illustrator)

Overview

An unhoused person carries a bag through the streets, to a shelter, to a house, to the subway, and the park. With each changing location, the protagonist and their bag also changes, reflecting the various faces and reasons for homelessness and asking the reader to contemplate themes of community, self-reliance, and the meaning of "home."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781223187198
Publisher:	Paw Prints Publishing
Publication date:	10/24/2024
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.00(d)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Roxanne Chester is an attorney, visual artist, and author. As a graduate of Berkeley Law School with a career background in advocacy, she has worked with organizations that support the unhoused. Her writing focuses on empathy and our shared humanity. This is her debut picture book.

Abe Matias is an illustrator and puppet artist based in Los Angeles, CA. He spent his childhood in Mexico making his own toys and drawing lots of stories. After getting a degree in graphic design in Chicago, he moved to LA to work as a designer, illustrator in the entertainment and gaming industry. He's done work for HarperCollins, Macmillan, Nickelodeon, Disney, HBO, and Blizzard.

Editorial Reviews

"In beautiful illustrations, this picture book depicts various unhoused persons as they find shelter and spend days with their single bag carrying all of their possessions. One man rests on the couch at a friend's house; a woman makes her way through busy streets and sideways glances. The story doesn't try to fill in anyone's backstory but humanizes each person as they find a place to rest. The puppet-like, warm art is lovely. Back matter includes discussion questions for kids, an author's note about where she got the idea for this story and ideas for how to help the unhoused population. Part of the book's proceeds will be donated to nonprofits like the National Coalition for the Homeless and Homeless Connect." - Book Riot

From the Publisher