Customer Reviews

Morris' Disappearing Bag

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What if you were the youngest rabbit in the family and nobody wanted to play with your Christmas bear because it was too babyish? Would you feel left out if your sisters and brother said you were too little to play with THEIR presents? Would you sit in the corner with your ears drooping in sadness?

If that tugs at your heartstrings, meet Morris. He's the dearest little bunny you ever saw, and SO sad on Christmas morning. He loves his new bear but he's too little to play with Rose's beauty kit, Victor's hockey stick, and Betty's chemistry set. While they are having fun, Morris crawls under the tree and finds ONE FORGOTTEN PRESENT, a bag. He pulls himself into the bag and -- DISAPPEARS!

Oho! Now the other bunnies are singing a different song. They all want to share their presents with Morris while they try out his disappearing bag. Who can blame them? Wouldn't we all like a disappearing bag from time to time? Such a fine present. Morris generously gives turns with his bag and has a go with the other presents. He's got the most coveted Christmas gift of all, but all he wants is a little consideration, to be part of the crowd, to be included.

Rosemary Wells writes a terrific story and her illustrations are sheer delight. Little droopy bunny ears, puffy cotton tails sticking out of the bag, hilarious bunny play with the chemicals, the makeup, the hockey kit -- and precious little Morris with all his feelings worn on his sleeve.

I've had this book since my sons were little, and given it to a number of children. I always buy a new copy for myself, just in case I need it. My favorite!

Linda Bulger, 2008

I have a big box of children's Christmas books that I keep in the garage most of the year, and bring out in late November, but even though this book tells a Christmas story, it has never gone in the Christmas box. My kids wouldn't give it up. It continues to be read all year. I'm not sure exactly what it is about this book. It's kind of a silly little story about a little bunny, the youngest in his family, the one who is overlooked, who discovers an unnoticed present under the Christmas tree -- a bag that can make anyone who crawls into it disappear. But there's just something delightful and fun about it. We especially like the fact that only what's completely in the bag disappears, and Morris doesn't ever quite manage to get his whole body in the bag, so in each picture a little piece of him (tips of ears, or cottony tail) are sticking out. It's fun to find Morris in each picture. In fact, overall, this is probably the most fun Christmas book I've ever seen.

It's Christmas morning and Morris gets a teddy bear while his brother and sisters get great gifts that Morris isn't allowed to play with. While Morris mopes he finds a disappearing bag. Suddenly no one can find him. But when he's finally discovered, he gladly shares it with his siblings, who stuff themselves into it all at the same time. While they use the bag he has a fabulous time playing with their toys.
This is a great book. It's one of my all time favorite Rosemary Wells books that isn't related to her famous Max and Ruby. My children really enjoy it and wish they had a bag just like it!

Now a quick note: In the original publication of "Morris's Disappearing Bag", Morris is a little white bunny. He has now been colored brown. Very interesting choice on the part of the publisher.

I hereby nominate Rosemary Wells the winner of the Cute But Never Saccharine Picture Book Award printed between the years of 1800-2589. You are familiar with her work, even if you have never read it. Best known for her early board books starring the irascible Max and his patient elder sibling, the author also did slightly older fare. In every book, however, Wells takes the side of the underdog. The littlest sibling. The one most prone to feeling left out. In "Morris's Disappearing Bag" this theme has become all encompassing. Here is a story that truly captures what it feels like to be ignored and unwanted by your siblings.

It is Christmas Day and Morris is delighted. As he and his three elder siblings open their presents, each rabbit (for so they are) is enraptured by their gift. Victor gets a hockey outfit, Rose a beauty kit, and Betty (just to smash a couple stereotypes while we're at it) a chemistry set. Morris gets a lovely bear, but it soon occurs to him that his siblings don't appreciate his present. While they switch one another's gifts and experiment with them, Morris is left all alone. No one wants to play with his bear. It isn't until Morris locates an extra unwrapped present containing a bag of invisibility that Morris finally has a gift cool enough to lure his elder sibs with.

Is there a moral to be learned here? I dunno. If there was it would probably be something along the lines of "Get a better toy and win the love of your fellow man". I don't buy it, personally. I think this is just a fun adorable tale illustrated with Rosemary Wells's fantastic pictures. No one draws adorable bunnies like this woman. Or so perfectly evokes a child feeling sorry for himself. Morris sitting all by himself with his ears at half mast is so simultaneously cute and pitiful, you just want to give his roly-poly little body a big big hug. All in all, this is a fantastic book (the older brother applying make-up to his face is worth the price of admission alone). A great story for Christmas, and a wonderful tale for all the year round. Grab yourself a copy.

As a kid this (along with Noisy Nora) was my favourite book and I still think it's one of my all time greats. It has moved house and country with me innumerable times.
It's a sweet story about Christmas, feeling left out by older kids, triumphing by winning attention and causing trouble, and learning to love a bear, but it's never saccharine or preachy.
It's a must have for every house that ever has a small child visit (and also for those who like to see bears triumph over more gimmicky gifts).

I distinctly remember this book as a child. I remember laughing over & over when my parents would read this one to me. I STILL find it hilarious. Of all the books I had as a child this is one of the few I still own. I highly recommend this book. It is not so overly Christmassy that you cannot enjoy this book year round.

Ok so i was sitting in my kid's pediatricians office waiting (as usual) and reading one of the books in the room to my child. it was one of the Max books by Rosemary Wells. So, i'm sitting there looking at the book thinking...gosh! this art work looks soooo familiar! what it is about this book...then an old story comes to mind that i can barely recall. but it kept bugging me and in moments I recall this book i had as a kid about a bunny or something (looked a lot like the Max charactor in the authors more recent books) that got a magic bag for xmas. I couldn't rmember the title though. it's been on my mind on and off since then and I just found the authors name a minute ago on amazon while looking for kids books and decided i was going to investigate and surely find out if she is connected to that old favorite of mine. i could have whooped out loud when I finally spotted "morrie's Disappearing bag" on the list! i'd found it! now I HAVE to buy it for my two littlw ones! I love this book! it's so cute! funny thing is...my little boys name is max! not that this book is about max the bunny.....anyway, i highly recommend this cute book!

Rosemary Wells did a successful job making this book. It's a mystery when Morris goes into the disappearing bag and as soon as he gets out of it everybody wants to try going into it. If you really like bunnies go get it right now and I'm serious! One more thing. Even though it's a short book you'll probably want to read it again because you might have missed lots of details in the pictures. So buy it right now and start reading it!

In my opinion, this is Rosemary Wells's best book. It is creative, imaginative, and insightful into what it is like for younger siblings adn older ones too. It is very cute, and tells a good story and has a message WITHOUT being preachy (like bearenstein bears for example, yuck!). And not to mention that it isn't written with Ruby in it, who is obnoxious in my opinion. Although I am sure little brothers relate to the Ruby stories well :) with some siblings. Highly recommended.

This is a family favorite. It is simple storytelling at its best. I love the pictures and creativity. I love that a child mixes acids as part of her Christmas day. And I love that little Morris uses his head to create something fun out of nothing.