Joseph Had A Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

Image retrieved from www.amazon.com

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taback, Simms. Joseph Had A Little Overcoat. New York, Viking by The Penguin Group: 1977. ISBN: 9780670878550

2. PLOT SUMMARY

The pages of this book are filled with holes, just like Joseph’s old overcoat. He decided to make something new out of his old coat, and when that something new wore out, he made something else new. Each new piece of clothing he made eventually became old and worn, until he was finally left with nothing. What should you do when you’re left with nothing? Make something out of it.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

What stands out most about this book are the pictures. Not only are the pages of this book filled with holes, but they’re also filled with beautiful and lively die-cut illustrations. Every other page has a hole in it that is shaped like something new - a new piece of clothing for Joseph’s coat to be made into. When the final piece of clothing (a button used to fasten Joseph’s suspenders) is lost, the moral of the story is revealed: you can always make something out of nothing. Joseph proves this by making a book about his little old overcoat. This is a good lesson for children who often have nothing to do, nothing to wear, nothing to eat, etc. It teaches them that they can always make something out of nothing.

The story in this book is wonderful for young children and early readers. The lines and words are repetitive, making it easy to read and easy to understand. Children can begin to guess what will happen next and what Joseph will make out of each piece of clothing.

Mixed into the story and colorful pages are pieces of music, wall hangings, letters, and newspapers that are unique and sometimes comical. They point readers to the fact that Joseph is a Jewish man living in Poland. They also help give this book depth and enjoyment for adults and children alike.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2000 Caldecott Medal Recipient

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - “A book bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit.”

From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - “With its effective repetition and an abundance of visual humor, this is tailor-made for reading aloud.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books written and illustrated by Simms Taback such as:

• There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly. ISBN 0670869392

• This Is The House That Jack Built. ISBN 0142402001
• I Miss You Every Day. ISBN 0670061921

Creative Writing - Ask students to write about making something out of nothing. They could create a new story or write about a time when they made something out of nothing.

Art - Have students create a piece of artwork using the same style as Simms Taback.