Review of JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT by Simms Taback

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Taback, Simms. 1999. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT. Ill. by Simms Taback. New York: The Penguin Group. ISBN 0670878553

2. PLOT SUMMARY
A Jewish man named Joseph has a worn out overcoat. He recycles the material into various pieces of clothing, and wears each piece to a different social event. In the end, he loses the final piece of the overcoat and is left with nothing. However, he uses his experiences to write a book about the overcoat. This is how he creates something out of nothing. He can keep the book forever, to remind him of the coat he once had.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The cover of the book is bright and appears to use pieces of cloth to make the title stand out. Taback used watercolor, Gouache, pencil, ink, and collage to achieve the effect for the illustrations. The illustrations are wonderful, and children of any age will find them engaging. They achieve a cheerful and lighthearted feeling, and you know this book will probably end happily. The book also uses die cuts on select pages so that Joseph’s overcoat fabric can be seen throughout the book in the cut outs. The black borders around each page highlight the bold yellow text.
The book was adapted from a Yiddish folk song. The writing is simple enough for even the youngest children to understand. Beginning readers should be able to read it independently. He uses repetition and rhyme which all readers will find engaging. The setting, shown through the illustrations, is from a time long ago, in a rural farm setting. Joseph and the villagers’ dress, although colorful, shows that these are not wealthy people. The fact that Joseph reuses his jacket until it is made into a button, also shows that he is thrifty and unable to just throw things away.
The theme of the story is displayed by Joseph’s continued optimism throughout the book. He continually strives to make the best of his situation. The book also shows today’s children, about a time and culture where things were not thrown away, but used until they were completely worn out. Children today will wonder why he doesn’t just throw the coat away and get a new one. They can learn that this was not possible during the time in history that the story depicts.
I also liked that the author puts a letter to readers on the back page where he explains how he came to write the book. He also discusses his earlier version of the book which was illustrated differently. This first book was published in 1977. He also includes the words and music to a song about his overcoat. I wish that he would have included a tape or a button to push that would have played the song. That would have made including the song more engaging for children. I can’t read music, so I couldn’t sing the song to my students. This way they could listen to how the song is supposed to sound, and then we could all sing it together.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Winner of the 2000 Caldecott Award.
Reviewed in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A book bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit.”
Reviewed PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Taback’s inventive use of die-cut pages shows off his signature artwork. It’s the bustling mixed-media artwork, highlighted by the strategically placed die-cuts, that steal the show.”

5. CONNECTIONS
Students might be interested to see the original book and compare it to the new version.
The story could be introduced by reading Taback’s, THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN THAT SWALLOWED A FLY. You could then have students compare and contrast these two books. The use of die-cuts and the techniques the author uses in his illustrations would show similarities. Both books also use repetition, which students will pick up on.
The book could be used along with other books about farm life. This would help students understand what life was like was like in small rural villages when farming was a way of life.
For discussion, you could ask students if they have a favorite article of clothing. They could even make their own book about their article of clothing and what they might make out of it when it wears out.
The book could also be used for a lesson about inferences. Have students predict what Joseph will make next. You could also have them try to finish sentences in the book that rhyme.
The book could be used as a moral lesson for older students. Joseph shows them that even when things are bleak, you have to turn it around and try to make the best of your situation. Don’t dwell on what is negative in your life,
For art, you could show students how to make a collage, and then let them make their own. They could even create a collage of the article of clothing from their own personal book.
The book could also be used with other books showcasing the Jewish culture. Students could learn about Jewish celebrations, holidays, and customs. If there are any Jewish children in your school, you could have them come and talk to students. You could also try and have a Jewish adult come and talk to your students. Most students in my school have not been exposed to Jewish culture.