Book Review – JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Taback, Simms. 1999. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT. New York, NY: Viking Books. ISBN 0-670-87855-3
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Based on a Yiddish folk song, this Caldecott award winning book tells the story of Joseph’s old coat, which became a jacket, then a vest, and so on until nothing is left at all! Can you make something out of nothing? With a little imagination, the answer will surprise you!
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Simms Taback’s talents are on full display in this book, earning him another Caldecott Medal. The clear and simple text is perfect for the early reader, mixed with a couple of more challenging words, but not too many. Phrases like “It got old and worn” are repeated frequently, allowing even the most novice readers a chance to get in on the fun. The pictures, created with watercolor, Gouache, pencil, ink, and collage are visually arresting with plenty of humorous details that reward a close look. There are multiple visual references to Jewish stories and traditions, which could lead to further discussions. Comforting patterns, quilts, rugs, and fabrics are generously used, giving the book a warm feeling similar to a comfortable jacket. Animals grace many of the pages, furthering the feeling of comfort that this book provides. Die cut holes are cleverly used on several pages, giving alert readers a chance to guess at the clothing item that will be coming up next as the overcoat slowly whittles down to oblivion. Even when Joseph finally reaches the point where he has nothing, the foreshadowed ending encourages children to start fresh and create new things where before there was nothing. The moral of the story is affirming, full of hope for the future.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
2000 Caldecott Medal Winner
Reviewed in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A book bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit. Striking gouache, watercolor, and collage illustrations are chock-full of witty details-letters to read, proverbs on the walls, even a fiddler on the roof. 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.”
Reviewed in BOOKLIST: “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
* A great companion book would be NABEEL’S NEW PANTS: AN EID TALE retold by Fawzia Gilani-Williams, which also deals with clothing alterations!
* Simms Taback also won a Caldecott Honor Medal with his book THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY.
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