Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

 Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Bibliography

Taback, Simms. 1999. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT. Ill. by Simms Taback. New York, NY:             Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0439216974

Plot Summary

Joseph is a man with a little overcoat. As it gets old and worn, he makes it into something new, like a vest or tie. This process continues until all he has left of the overcoat is a little button, which he loses. Instead of being sad about the lost button, he writes a book about his overcoat and how he was able to make something new out of something old and how even when you have nothing else anymore, you can still create something. 

Critical Analysis

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback is about the journey of a man and his coat and how the old can become new again. The plot of this story is sequential, since Taback took inspiration from an old Yiddish folk song, so it is easy for kids to follow. Readers follow Joseph and his continuous process of breaking down his overcoat into different and new pieces of clothing until it is just a tiny button. Even after the button is gone, Joseph can still put the overcoat to use by writing a story about it. This shapes into a good moral about being able to still create even when you have nothing left but the memories.

Taback also illustrated this book, using cut illustrations made from water color and collage. It is fun to point out the mismatched images and to watch the cut outs become new pictures. The illustrations are also very homey and fit well with the folktale feeling and plot. 

The combination of old with new makes this tale one for children and adults alike, and an enjoyable experience for lovers of folk songs and culture.

Review Excerpts

2000 Caldecott Medal

Barbara Kiefer, Caldecott Award Committee: "Vibrant rich colors, playful details, and skillfully placed die cuts  contribute to the books raucous merriment that takes this Yiddish folk song far beyond the simple words."

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

Connections

More Cut Out Books: Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert

                                    In My Heart by Jo Witek

                                    Night Light by Nicholas Blechman

The Art of Taback: Use construction paper and magazines to make your own Taback illustration!

More by Simms Taback: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

                                        This is the House that Jack Built

                                        I Miss You Everyday