Bibliography Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670878550 Plot Summary Just like the title says, Joseph had a little overcoat. Over time, the overcoat becomes old and worn and Joseph turns it into a jacket. The pattern continues as he turns the jacket into a vest, the vest into a scarf, the scarf into a necktie, the necktie into handkerchief, and the handkerchief into a button. One day, he loses the button and decides to write a story about it. The book ends with a moral, “You can always make something out of nothing.” Critical Analysis The first thing the reader notices in this story are the fantastic illustrations done in watercolor and collage. These illustrations at first appear simple, but as you look closely you see the details that give background to the story, including newspaper pages, handwritten blurbs, and sayings on the walls. Some of these are humorous and/or lend themselves to a deeper discussion of the story. From the illustrations and anecdotes, the reader can infer that the story takes place in Poland sometime in the past. The Jewish culture is obviously represented through these, as well as in the author’s note at the end of the story. Another feature of this book that children will enjoy is the die-cut cutouts every few pages that show the changing pieces of clothing as Joseph alters them. These imaginative cutouts are interesting and inventive, helping children see the transition from piece of clothing to piece of clothing. The main character, Joseph, is depicted as a resourceful farmer. He displays qualities of creativity and thriftiness as he reinvents the original overcoat into different items over and over. Children will enjoy, and be able to follow along with the repetitive nature of this story. The story line moves quickly through time, depicting Joseph in different situations and occasions over the course of this time. This is a great story for interactive reading and retelling. Children will enjoy the simple theme of resourcefulness in this story. It is easily recognized and told in a rhythmic way that is song-like. The author includes the music for the song version of the story at the end of the book. In the author’s note at the end he discusses how it was a song he loved as a child. Children will be able to make connections to songs they love and the stories behind those, as well. Overall, this story is not just a traditional tale. The illustrations and theme make it an enjoyable read for children and adults of all ages. Response This story is such a fun read! My little ones enjoyed the cutouts and seeing Joseph’s overcoat transform its way down to a button. Even the youngest child can make a connection with the simple theme of making something out of nothing. Its song-like cadence makes reading aloud fun, and students will make connections to other stories that are similar in style (e.g. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly). This is a great story for discussing the Jewish culture and its traditions, as shown through the illustrations. This book is a classic that is sure to engage children of all ages in its magic. Honors 2000 Caldecott Medal Winner 1999 Louis Posner Memorial Award (National Jewish Book Award for Children’s Books) 1999 Sydney Taylor Book Awards Honor Reviews “As in his Caldecott Honor book, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Taback's inventive use of die-cut pages shows off his signature artwork, here newly created for his 1977 adaptation of a Yiddish folk song. This diverting, sequential story unravels as swiftly as the threads of Joseph's well-loved, patch-covered plaid coat. A flip of the page allows children to peek through to subsequent spreads as Joseph's tailoring produces items of decreasing size. The author puts a droll spin on his narrative when Joseph loses the last remnant of the coat button and decides to make a book about it. "Which shows... you can always make something out of nothing," writes Taback, who wryly slips himself into his story by depicting Joseph creating a dummy for the book that readers are holding. Still, it's the bustling mixed-media artwork, highlighted by the strategically placed die-cuts, that steals the show. Taback works into his folk art a menagerie of wide-eyed animals witnessing the overcoat's transformation, miniature photographs superimposed on paintings and some clever asides reproduced in small print (a wall hanging declares, "Better to have an ugly patch than a beautiful hole"; a newspaper headline announces, "Fiddler on Roof Falls off Roof"). With its effective repetition and an abundance of visual humor, this is tailor-made for reading aloud.” -- Publisher’s Weekly “Clever die-cut holes provide clues as to what Joseph will make next: windowpanes in one scene become a scarf upon turning the page. 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 story time read-aloud.” -- School Library Journal “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. The simple text, which was adapted from the Yiddish song "I Had a Little Overcoat," begins as Joseph makes a jacket from his old, worn coat. When the jacket wears out, Joseph makes a vest, and so on, until he has only enough to cover a button. Cut outs emphasize the use and reuse of the material and add to the general sense of fun. When Joseph loses, he writes a story about it all, bringing children to the moral "You can always make something out of nothing." -- Booklist Connections
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AuthorMy name is Mrs. Scott and I'm a secondary Media Resource Specialist (librarian) in Texas. This blog was created as part of my graduate coursework at Texas Woman's University. All reviews and opinions are my own.
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