JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT by Simms Taback

1. Bibliographic data

Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York : Viking. 0-6708-7855-3.

2. Plot summary

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is a story about a Polish man named Joseph whose shabby overcoat is reconstructed into a jacket, then a vest, next a scarf, followed by a necktie, a handkerchief, and finally a button - which Joseph loses. He then writes a book about his experience, proving you can always make something out of nothing.

3. Critical Analysis

While the story of Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is very simple, there is a lot to be learned from its pages. Each page has no more than 15 words on it, but the artwork is so detailed that more words are not necessary. Taback’s illustrations are a feast for the eyes; he uses pen, ink, watercolor, fabric, and pieces of photographs to bring each page to life. Bright colors and slightly zany characters have wide appeal for young eyes.

As the story progresses and the overcoat changes, Taback uses die-cut holes to foreshadow what the coat will be next. This is a great method for young readers to think critically about the text. They can also use their hands to trace the shape of the coat’s next form, which is wonderful for readers who learn well by through touching. Young readers may also get a kick out of finding each die-cut shape, as they are camouflaged on each page.

Taback provides readers with little asides on each page. Many pages show scenes were newspapers with print clearly visible on the floor. There are drink labels, book pages, posters, pictures, photos, sheet music, letters, postcards, and many other things that can be read and that look real.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat also gives readers a glimpse into the world of Polish culture. Many of the newspapers are written in a different language, characters wear Polish garb and participate in Polish customs, Polish food can be seen when Joseph dances at his nephew’s wedding, there are Polish letters on Joseph’s desk, and the choir sings a Polish song. This book gives readers a great opportunity to learn something new about another country and its people.

This is a fun, colorful, unusual, and touching book. I think that there is a lot to be learned from this book and that it would be a great pick for any young child to read.

4. Review Excerpts

“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.” – Publishers Weekly

“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 storytime read-aloud.” – School Library Journal

5. Connections

Related Books:

Taback, Simms. 1997. There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. New York: Viking. 0670869392.

Activity:

Ask students to think of a piece of their own clothing. Using Joseph Had a Little Overcoat as a model, have them write a short story about how their clothing changed form over time. Students may draw their own pictures to accompany their stories.