BOOK REVIEW #2: JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT BY SIMMS TABACK

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taback, Simms. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York: Penguin Group, 1999.

ISBN: 0670878553

PLOT SUMMARY

This folktale was about a man named Joseph who had an overcoat. The overcoat became old and worn after wearing it for awhile, so Joseph decided to not get rid of it, but instead, turn it into something useful for him. Throughout the story, he continued to make use of the material from his overcoat and by the end, Joseph had turned his coat into: a jacket, a vest, a scarf, a necktie, a handkerchief, and a button. At the end of the story, his button disappeared, and since he didn't have anything else left from his overcoat material, he decided to write a story about it.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Taback's story is a classic folktale with a simple moral to it, “you can always make something out of nothing,” which is demonstrated by the main character, Joseph, who was uncomplicated, but creative in his quest to make his favorite overcoat useful by turning it into something else. This moral also offered insight into the importance of making use of things and not becoming like today's culture, where everything is thrown away if it can't be used for its original purposes.

The author wrote this story from a Yiddish song he had heard while growing up. Because it was originally a song, the style of the story was repetitive and the chorus could be seen through the words, “it got old and worn” along with the rest of the words, “so he made. . . out of it.” The reader was always reminded of the material and how it could be used for many other things, to the point that the reader learned the theme that something could always be used in a different way, and it doesn't have to be thrown away.

The illustrations in the book added to the telling of this story. The author used cutouts of each of the items that were made from the overcoat's material to hint to the reader what Joseph was going to make next in the story's plot. With the cut-outs and the bold colors, the author and illustrator, Taback, was able to keep the attention of adults and children when reading. Children were able to appreciate looking at the cut-outs on the pages while trying to figure out what Joseph had made with the material. Adults were able to enjoy the creativity of the character, Joseph, and how he was able to make new things from one overcoat, while also showing all of the other details from each of the scenes surrounding him in his decisions and the making of new things. .

This was an enjoyable story for all readers, because of its ability to entertain and teach children and adult readers. The moral of the story offered a teachable moment to children, and it also reminded adults of the importance of not wasting anything. This was shown through the materials Joseph made from his overcoat and through the illustrations on each page. It offered the chance for the readers to see a different perspective and hopefully, learn something from it.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

The 2000 Caldecott Medal winner

CONNECTIONS

*Introduce information about the Caldecott Medal.

*Use this story to learn about main idea.

*Understand and learn about repairing, reusing, and recycling materials.

*Other fables for children with morals:

Pinkney, Jerry. The Lion and the Mouse. ISBN 0316013560

Stead, Philip C. A Sick Day for Amos McGee ISBN 1596434023