Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

Bibliography:

Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph had a little overcoat. New York: Viking.  ISBN 0670878553

Plot:

Based on a traditional Yiddish folk song, Taback’s tale follows the titular character as he takes his old and frayed overcoat and repurposes it into increasingly smaller garments as each one wears down.  In the end, Joseph loses the button, the smallest portion of the overcoat he has left, but he takes the nothing he has left and creates the book.

Analysis:

The text is simple and repetitive in structure as Joseph goes through smaller and smaller fragments of his overcoat, but the collage illustrations support it beautifully with bright colors and humorous and subtle details.  The book also incorporates die-cut holes in the pages that provide clues about what garment Joseph will create next.  This clever device is itself a type of recycling, utilizing the previous illustration to make the next and reinforcing Joseph’s actions in the story.  The illustrations also support the cultural roots of the source material, from the dress style of the characters to the Yiddish phrases in the background.

The cumulative nature of this folk tale will help younger readers to engage in the story by anticipating and predicting what comes next.  This pattern of refrain will be a familiar storytelling device to most readers which will likely increase its appeal.

Awards & Reviews:

2000 Caldecott Medal

2000 ALA Notable Children’s Book

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

School Library Journal review: “A book bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit.”

Booklist: “Taback's mixed-media and collage illustrations are alive with warmth, humor, and humanity.”

Connections:

·        Use in a storytime about clothing or getting dressed.

·        Since the story is based on a song, teach the children the English version included in the book.  Try to find a recording of the Yiddish version as well.

·        Use the book to introduce a discussion of reuse or recycling or for a craft program that repurposes used paper or fabric.

·        Other picture books that use die-cut pages to enhance the story or illustrations:

Carle, Eric. 1987. The very hungry caterpillar. [New York]: Philomel Books. ISBN 0399208534

Emberley, Ed. 1992. Go away, big green monster! Boston: Little, Brown. ISBN 0316236535

MacDonald, Suse. 2009. Shape by shape. New York: Little Simon. ISBN 1416971475

Taback, Simms. 1997. There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. New York: Viking. ISBN 0670869392