LENNON, Mich., Feb. 13, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- The events of September 11, 2001 sent shock waves through America. Adults watched the television stunned unsure of how to deal with their own feelings, let alone knowing how to deal with the fear and confusion of their children. Debra Lee Hagon has an idea. My Trip in the Duty Bag (now available through 1stBooks Library) is a book aimed at children ages 7 through 12 that deals with how to return to normalcy in the face of such tragedy.
Hagon's story centers around Flat Jack, a hand held size cardboard character who travels with Hagon, called Nana in the story. Nana had always had a knack for making children feel warm and secure. In the snuggly confines of Nana's duty bag, they set off from Michigan on September 9, 2001 for North Carolina. From there Flat Jack and Nana drove off to Washington, D.C. with Nana's two sisters. On September 11, 2001, they hit the streets to see the sites. Shortly, their security is shattered when they witness the plane fly into the Pentagon. Flat Jack cowers down into the duty bag where his thoughts and concerns are revealed.
Based on an idea from a colleague of her daughter, an elementary school teacher, Flat Jack was invented to teach children about different places. Each traveler would carry Flat Jack with them and report their journeys to the elementary school in the hopes Jack would travel around the world. Hagon's maiden voyage with Flat Jack was an infamous day in American history and it is remembered here to aid children in dealing with the events.
Debra Lee Hagon was born in Flint, Mich. She is a graduate of Saginaw Valley State University masters program in nursing with licenses to practice in nursing and social work. She worked in the local public health department and worked with children both acutely ill and mentally/developmentally challenged before retiring. She has two children, a daughter who is an elementary school teacher and a son who is in the Air Force. Hagon loves spending time with her grandchildren, Kirstie and Kara, who did the art work for Duty Bag, and Ashley and Alex. My Trip in the Duty Bag is her first book.
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