Review: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

1.     BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taback, Simms. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York: Penguin Group, 1999. ISBN 0-670-87855-3

2.     PLOT SUMMARY
Joseph proves himself to be very resourceful and creative as his worn overcoat takes many different shapes throughout the story, ending with a simple button, which he looses. He then "makes something out of nothing" by writing a book about it.

3.     CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book, wonderfully illustrated using watercolor, gouache, pencil, ink and collage, tells the story of Joseph, who wore a coat for a long time until something happened to it. As readers follow the  "Joseph had....it was old and worn. So he made a ..... out of it" pattern of this tale, they are able to go along on Joseph's journey of creating something new out of something old. With every flip of the page, readers see the cutout that transforms the old coat into a vest, the old vest into a scarf, and so on, as he interacts with his animals, family and community. Once Joseph looses the very last bit of what is left of his overcoat, a button, he decided that he would make something out of nothing, and write a book about it.

As Taback mentions in the back of the book, he adapted  this tale from a childhood favorite Yiddish folk song called "I Had a Little Overcoat". Not only does Taback provide this connection for readers, along with the song, but he also shows the Jewish cultural background of his character through his illustrations. Throughout the book, we  interestingly see real pictures in frames and books, as well as newspapers and letters written in Yiddish, and a menorah on a table in his home, just to name a few. Taback uses the colors, style of the characters' clothing, scenery/setting and small details throughout the book (details that could possibly be missed on the first read, as reader are intrigued with the cutouts), to introduce the reader to Joseph's culture.

4.     REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2000 Caldecott Medal

From Publishers Weekly: “With its effective repetition and an abundance of visual humor, this is tailor-made for reading aloud.”

From School Library Journal: “Taback adapted this tale from a Yiddish folk song and the music and English lyrics are appended. The rhythm and repetition make it a perfect storytime read-aloud.”

From Booklist: "This newly illustrated version of a book Taback first published in 1977 is a true example of accomplished bookmaking--from the typography and the endpapers to the bar code, set in what appears to be a patch of fabric. Taback's mixed-media and collage illustrations are alive with warmth, humor, and humanity. Their colors are festive yet controlled, and they are filled with homey clutter, interesting characters, and a million details to bring children back again and again."

5.     CONNECTIONS

Gather other folktale books to read such as:

•                      Stevens, Janet. Tops & Bottoms. ISBN 0152928510

•                      Muth, John J. Zen Shorts. ISBN 0439339111

Gather other Simms Taback books to read such as:

•                      There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. ISBN 0670869392

•                      This Is The House That Jack Built. ISBN 0142402001

•                      Postcards from Camp. ISBN 0399239731

Use as an introduction to an art piece on how to make many items out of one thing

Use with a unit on problem solving