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Miranda Paul
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Elizabeth Zunon
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One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia Hardcover – Picture Book, February 1, 2015

by Miranda Paul (Author), Elizabeth Zunon (Illustrator)
4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 613 ratings
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Discover the inspiring true story of Isatou Ceesay, an African woman who started a recycling movement to combat the pollution caused by plastic bags in her community.

For years, plastic bags were a cheap and convenient option for carrying goods in Njau, Gambia. However, when these bags broke or were no longer needed, they were carelessly discarded, leading to an unsightly accumulation of plastic waste alongside roads. The stagnant water in the bags provided a breeding ground for mosquitoes and diseases, while the burning of bags left behind a foul smell. The bags also strangled gardens, killed livestock, and polluted the environment.

Isatou Ceesay decided to take action, and she began to collect the plastic bags and recycle them into something new. Her efforts not only helped to clean up the environment, but also provided income for women in her community who had been struggling to make ends meet.

This powerful and moving book showcases the impact of one person's determination and ingenuity in creating positive change. It highlights the urgent need to address the plastic pollution crisis and encourages readers to take action to make a difference in their own communities. Join Isatou Ceesay and be inspired to become a changemaker in your own right.

Previous page
  1. Reading age
    5 - 9 years
  2. Part of series
    Millbrook Picture Books
  3. Print length
    32 pages
  4. Language
    English
  5. Grade level
    Kindergarten - 3
  6. Lexile measure
    AD570L
  7. Dimensions
    10.75 x 0.37 x 9.13 inches
  8. Publisher
    Millbrook Press ™
  9. Publication date
    February 1, 2015
  10. ISBN-10
    9781467716086
  11. ISBN-13
    978-1467716086
  12. See all details
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From the Publisher

As the bags dry...

Isatou watches her sister crochet. “Can you teach me?” “Waaw—yes.” Her sister shows Isatou the stitches, then hands her a metal tool. Isatou’s fingers busy themselves . . . in . . . out . . . around. “Jerejef—thank you.”

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 1–4—The simple format of this picture book belies the strength of its content, a story lovingly supported by charming collage illustrations. As a girl, Ceesay realized that the goats on which her village relied were dying because they were eating plastic bags. She also saw that people were tossing the used bags on the ground just as they had always thrown away their baskets when no longer useful—except the plastic bags, unlike the baskets, weren't biodegradable. So Ceesay figured out how to use crochet, a skill with which the villagers were already familiar, to make purses out of the plastic bags. Simple but lyrical text conveys this beautiful, thought-provoking tale of ecological awareness and recycling ("The basket tips. One fruit tumbles. Then two. Then ten."). An inspiring account.—Dorcas Hand, Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX

Review

"Simple but lyrical text conveys this beautiful, thought-provoking tale of ecological awareness and recycling. . . . An inspiring account."―starred, School Library Journal



"Colorful textured and patterned collage artwork illustrates this inspiring true story, which concludes with more information about Isatou's grassroots initiative."―Booklist



"This handsome presentation of grassroots environmental activism is certain to inspire young readers." ―The Horn Book Magazine



"Notes of hope, determination, and empowerment suffuse Paul's story.... Incorporating real plastic bags into her mixed-media collages, Zunon, who grew up in West Africa, juxtaposes the brown, dusty landscape against splashes of color and vibrant printed dresses and head coverings worn by the village women." ―Publishers Weekly



"Though Isatou Ceesay's country may be unfamiliar to young readers, they've probably done some handicraft recycling of their own. The easy connection makes this a welcome addition to the small shelf of examples of ingenuity in developing nations." ―Kirkus Reviews

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1467716081
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Millbrook Press ™ (February 1, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781467716086
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1467716086
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 5 - 9 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD570L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Kindergarten - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.75 x 0.37 x 9.13 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 613 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
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  1. Miranda Paul

    Miranda Paul

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Miranda Paul is the award-winning children's author of One Plastic Bag, Water is Water, Whose Hands Are These? and Nine Months, a 2019 Boston Globe Horn Book Honor for Nonfiction. Miranda presents often at schools and libraries. One of her bravest moments involved reciting poetry inside a crocodile pit.

    Miranda's recent releases include I Am Farmer; Little Libraries, Big Heroes; Peace/Paz; and Speak Up—an NEA book Pick. Visit www.mirandapaul.com for more.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Elizabeth Zunon

    Elizabeth Zunon

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Elizabeth Zunon grew up in a hot, sunny, tropical country in West Africa called the Ivory Coast, where people speak French (and many other languages). Since her mother is American, she wanted to make sure that Elizabeth and her little brother could speak both French and English, so she read them a lot of bedtime stories in English after they came home from speaking French all day at school. As a little girl, Elizabeth loved to draw, paint, make up dances and play dress-up, and as she grew up, she didn't really change! Elizabeth went to art school in the United States and decided to focus on Children's Book Illustration. In school, she made a lot of paintings and books that were filled with images and memories of her childhood in the Ivory Coast. She still loves thinking about life there and drawing palm trees, tropical flowers, people in busy marketplaces, and days at the beach- especially since she now lives in Upstate New York, where it gets cold and snowy!

    Some things you may not know about Elizabeth Zunon:

    1) She has been known to break out in dance, mid-painting, around the living room, paintbrush in hand (when no one is looking, of course!)

    2) Her secret wish is to be a ballerina.

    3) She always buys a new paintbrush and a new paint color that she's never used before when starting a new project. It makes every painting even more exciting, and the new color adds something unexpected!

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 out of 5
613 global ratings
Memorable, Encouraging, and Lovely
5 Stars
Memorable, Encouraging, and Lovely
One Plastic Bag was a very stirring, memorable story based on real-life events. There were so many things that I absolutely loved about this picture book.First, I thought the collages were very cool. I loved the mixture of colors with lively patterns and how they blended a variety of surfaces together in a way that had me running my fingertips over the pages and imagining their many textures.I also loved reading the handful of native words in the Gambian region. I very much appreciated the glossary/pronunciation guide in the back of the book to help me say them correctly as I was reading. Together, they were such a beautiful complement to the already intriguing pictures.The Timeline and For Further Reading sections were a warm surprise. I really enjoyed seeing these unexpected references as well as the real-life pictures the book was based on. I thought they were definitely a nice addition to an already captivating sensation.Finally, the story itself was just amazing and inspiring for me. I loved how the way plastic was seen changed and then changed again despite what others thought. For me, the mockery of some felt like the biggest drawback of the whole situation. In light of that, I think my favorite part of it all would have to be how One Plastic Bag was able to impart how satisfying it is to have faith in yourself and what can be.
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Top reviews from the United States

Elizabeth
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Story
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2024
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Unbelievable story with true heart and meaning. This is a true work of art. My 6-year-old truly enjoyed this inspiring story.
One person found this helpful
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MK
5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2023
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Terrific book!
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Far-ranging Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring true story, eloquently told and gorgeously illustrated
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2015
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This gorgeously illustrated true story shows how Isatou Ceesay and other women in her small village in the Gambia solved a big problem: discarded plastic bags, which were killing livestock and providing breeding places for disease-carrying mosquitos. She and her friends cleaned the bags, cut them into long continuous strips (you can find directions on how to do this online--many places call it "plarn" for "plastic yarn"), and crocheted them into change purses, which now they sell, both locally and abroad. Author Miranda Paul has spent many years teaching in the Gambia and is a founder of the We Need Diverse Books movement, and illustrator Elizabeth Zunon has also illustrated The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, the story of William Kamkwamba, who taught himself to build a windmill to provide his village with electricity.

It's a great read--highly, highly recommended.
13 people found this helpful
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Jeanne K
5.0 out of 5 stars Recycling, Resourcefulness, and Personal Growth are Featured in this Biographical Story
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2021
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Recycling, resourcefulness, and personal growth are featured in this biographical story about a woman that helps clean up her community, make money doing it, and further give back to her community.
3 people found this helpful
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Kirsten Larson
5.0 out of 5 stars WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2016
Verified Purchase
WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: One Plastic Bag has so many hooks. First, Miranda incorporates Gambian culture and language into the text, immersing the reader into Isatou’s world. Second, the book has great read aloud-ability. Miranda uses a repeating refrain: “first one, then two, then ten,” which makes kids want to chant along. Finally, who can resist a story about one person seeing an insurmountable problem and taking a small step that leads to a giant change?

RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:

One Plastic Bag‘s Web site is packed with activities and information, including a PowerPoint about The Gambia and instructions for turning plastic bags into purses.
22 people found this helpful
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Becca McCracken
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for Earth Day, African Continent Study or Women's History Month
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2020
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I homeschool a 4th grade girl. I've previewed the book and loved it. Especially love the timeline, pronounciation guide to the words written in the local language, and extra resource list. PERFECT for my 4th grader. It's say it would suit any elementary school child all the way through Junior High.
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book for teaching problem and solution text structure!
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
I love how this story has so many powerful messages. It starts with one plastic bag that no one is concerned about and evolves into a story about taking care of our planet, women being problem solvers, and that we are able to do far more when we band together than we ever are able to do on our own.
2 people found this helpful
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Ms .B
5.0 out of 5 stars Great earth day resource
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2021
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We watched the accompanying YouTube video & got to “meet the author” & year her read her own story.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Birgit S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Wunderschönes Buch
Reviewed in Germany on July 3, 2021
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Wunderschönes Buch
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Rugger
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous way of teaching SDGs
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2021
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Loved it and so did the children who listened to it in assembly. Teaching the sustainable development goals and it really hit a chord- small ideas grow!
One person found this helpful
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Deborah
5.0 out of 5 stars Read It, Share It and Live It
Reviewed in Canada on June 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
This book is a 6 out of 5 star rating. With the movement to reduce our footprint, this book is awe inspiring. Many of us don't think about the impact of plastic bags on our environment. It is something that we just take for granted. Growing up I remember using paper grocery bags, then we were forced into using plastic bags, now we have gone full cycle but now to cloth bags. I have cloth shopping bags, it is more of a matter of remember to take them with me when I am going shopping.

This book is well worth reading.... Buy it, borrow it from the library... It demonstrates that if we work together and think outside the box, one person can actually make a difference in their community.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on August 17, 2016
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Great book!
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MrsH
5.0 out of 5 stars Will definitely use this in class.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
Perfect to read alongside our Geography topic.
It’s actually Oceans, but a major part is plastic pollution, and it’s so good for the children to see some solutions, as well as relate to and learn about how people live in other countries.
One person found this helpful
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