LSSL 5360 Mod. 2, Book Review #3- Joseph Had A Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

Book Review #3- Module 2- Joseph Had A Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taback, S. (1999). Joseph had a Little Overcoat. New York, NY: Viking.
ISBN 0670878553

2.  PLOT SUMMARY
“Joseph had a little overcoat, but it was full of holes- just like this book!” (Taback, 1999). As Joseph’s overcoat starts to ware away, he savors it by making it into a jacket, and then a vest. He continues to make his overcoat into items until he is left with nothing, and then, he even makes something out of that! The moral of this super interactive story is that we can always make something valuable, even out of nothing.

3.       CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Two things struck me the most about this book- the culturally rich subtleties found all over the beautiful illustrations, and the sweet lesson we can all learn from the creative die-cut format. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is simply sweet and fun for all ages, but to me, the most intriguing aspect of the book was the added cultural details throughout the illustrations. As a young reader, it would be a great project to go through and research the significance of the Yiddish and Jewish items featured throughout the book. Some of the details I noticed were different languages throughout the newspapers, faces of culturally significant figures on the walls, as well as garbs and attire significant to Jewish culture.

Looking through the pages of this book, you can truly find something new every time you read it if you really explore the detailed, colorful pictures. It’s obvious why this book was a Caldecott Medal Winner- the illustrations draw you into every detail with rich, vibrant colors. In the end, the reader discovers that this book was based on a Yiddish folk song. The same premise as the song, the story teaches us that we can “always make something out of nothing,” be that a story, or a song!

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

*Caldecott Medal Winner 2000

“As children turn the pages of this book, they can use the die-cut holes to guess what Joseph will be making next from his amazing overcoat, while they laugh at the bold, cheerful artwork and learn that you can always make something, even out of nothing.” Starred review, Goodreads

5. CONNECTIONS

*Great book to read and tie in with a sing-along for elementary ages
*Could use in an “It’s a small world” unit and touch on the Yiddish folk song as well cultural attire; perhaps have the kids construct their own overcoat with materials gathered.
*Personal journaling- “Give an example of a time that you made something fun or important out of something insignificant.”
*Research project on the Yiddish/Jewish cultural significance found in the illustrations (4^th-6^th grade)