And Then We Saw the Bag . . .: Trash to Them, Treasure to Us

Author/Contributor(s):	Adbage, Emma; Bowers, Melissa
Publisher:	Arctis
Date:	9/15/2026
Binding:	Hardcover
Condition:	NEW

A laugh-out-loud story about kid-parent power dynamics, the vital importance of play, and saving what matters. Because who really decides what is trash and what is a beloved toy? And what would happen if adults didn't always get their way?

"Emma AdBage KNOWS families, doesn't she? Deeply funny and scathingly true. A tale for any kid who has 'rescued' their beloveds from willfully obtuse adults." Betsy Bird, School Library Journal Contributor, Author, and Librarian

When the two sisters come home, they notice it right away. The house is too empty. Too tidy. And it smells . . . clean. The parents claim they've just dusted and picked a little, but in the hall there's a black bag, filled with all sorts of "unimportant" and "broken" items.

A rescue operation is immediately launched! A favorite eraser, a beloved trinket box with sand from a vacation and a mini pen from another vacation are dug up. But worst of all – Woody! A piece of wood that's more than just a stick. It's a baby cousin, a friend, and part of the family! How could their parents even think of throwing him away?! The sisters have to do something about this...