Review of Traditional Literature Book #3: JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT by Simms Taback

 

 

 

 

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

 Review by Lucinda Zamora-Wiley

1.     Bibliography:

Taback, Simms. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. . Illustrated by Simms Taback, New York:

Viking Books for Young Readers, 1999.

2.     Brief plot summary:

 In this lovely story, Joseph wears an adorable overcoat so much that it gets old and worn, so he must downsize into a jacket. Then he wears the jacket so much that IT gets old and worn, and he must turn it into a vest. Then he wears the vest so much that IT gets old and worn, and he must turn it into a scarf…the process of Joseph downsizing continues after wearing out a scarf, a necktie, a handkerchief, and finally a button. But even after losing his button—the last of what remained of his beloved overcoat—Joseph decides to capture his experience of whittling down his wardrobe into a book, proving that “you can always make something out of nothing.” This moral seems to be one of Taback’s favorites, as he explains in a letter to the reader at the end of the book, and in it,  he further elaborates on how his story came to be: it is based on a favorite traditional Yiddish folksong.

3.   Critical analysis with specific literary considerations pertinent to each genre (this is the “heart” of your review)

What makes Joseph Had a Little Overcoat such a lovely work of traditional literature is Taback’s amazing color palette and the colorful characters he invents in  order to retell the tale of Joseph and his ingenuity, based on a traditional Yiddish folk song entitled, “I Had a Little Overcoat.” Taback creates illustrations of people with warm faces, smiles, and eyes, and no matter that one’s family may not dress the same as the characters in the book, a warm feeling of family overwhelms the reader with good vibrations. The characters in the story appear to be Jewish, and they are all dressed in traditional clothing—shawls, yarmulkes,  hats, and coats in designs and colors so vivid that the text seems almost an afterthought. But before the reader can throw the storyline out the window in favor of the art, the story takes hold of the reader and doesn’t let go. Young readers will revel in the repetition of syntactical structure with, “Joseph had a little ____. It got old and worn.” And on the next page, the reader can delight in Joseph’s new, littler creation. Taback’s die-cutting artistry helps the reader to hone in on each of Joseph’s numerous, new creations just by turning the page. The predictability of structure in the story is present to a certain degree. . .but the reader can also enjoy the surprise of each of Joseph’s new creations as he chisels away at his old overcoat; the result is a good balance in the storyline between predictability and surprise—something in which young readers can delight! Taback is pretty blatant in his desire to convey a moral at the end of his story: “You can always make something out of nothing.” This moral might inspire young readers to thinking and being more creative about reusing and repurposing items in a world of mass consumption, and if this is too lofty a task for young readers, they can reflect on life’s simple pleasures that bring them joy—such as an overcoat, a favorite sweater, a pair of sneakers, or even a favorite button, just like Joseph.

4.     Awards won (if any) and review excerpt(s):

 

·       1999 National Jewish Book Award for Children's Picture Book

·       2000 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration

“Winking and nodding as she goes, a Latino grandmother will charm readers as she charms Death Himself in this original counting-cum-trickster tale.”--Kirkus Reviews

School Library Journal described it as, "A book bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit." 

Booklist calls it "a true example of accomplished bookmaking" and "Taback's mixed-media and collage illustrations are alive with warmth, humor, and humanity. Their colors are festive yet controlled, and they are filled with homey clutter, interesting characters, and a million details to bring children back again and again."

Publishers Weekly writes: “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.”

5.     Connections: (related books, enrichment activities, children’s responses, etc.)

 

·       Create something out of nothing: art collage! Teachers can provide students with miscellaneous, inexpensive art supply left-overs, magazines, etc., and students can create a new work of art. This activity can be done independently or in small collaborative groups.

·       Repurposing an item of clothing--group project: teachers can provide students with an article of clothing from the school’s pile of unclaimed “lost and found” items (or a student can bring an old item of clothing from home with parent permission) in order to repurpose it into something useful and new. A fashion show could be done in a “gallery” hosted by the school librarian.

·       The school’s music teacher can collaborate with the librarian/ teacher of this lesson in order to teach music students the Yiddish song on which Taback’s story is based, as the song (music and lyrics) appears at the end of the book.

·       Extension to previous activity: can you take one of the music songs studied this school year and turn it into a new story? This can be a creative/ art activity with illustrations, but it can also allow writing teachers to teach mini lessons on the elements of plot and numerous grammar mini lessons.

·       Science connection: since this work implies the beauty and usefulness of repurposing items, a lesson on the recycling and repurposing industry in the United States could ensue. For example, there are numerous examples of companies repurposing plastic bottles for everything from shoes and handbags, to writing pens, and more. Small groups could research and present to the class their findings on what innovative recycling/ repurposing companies are creating in the United States and across the globe!