Taback, Simms. 1999. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT. New York: NY. Penguin Putnam Inc., ISBN 0-439-21697-4
PLOT SUMMARY
An overcoat that is worn by a man named Joseph is changed into different clothing articles throughout the story. It begins with Joseph wearing his overcoat, but as soon as it is worn out, he transforms it into a jacket and wears it to a fair. When the jacket wears out, he transforms it into a vest to wear at a wedding. When the vest wears out, he transforms it into a scarf and sings in it. When the scarf wears out, he transforms it into a tie that he wears to the city. When the necktie is worn out, he transforms it into a handkerchief and uses it to sneeze in. When the handkerchief wears out, he transforms it into a button to be worn with his suspenders. When the button finally falls off and it can’t be found, Joseph writes a story about his overcoat. He proves that you can always make something out of nothing.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Taback’s folktale is actually a re-invention from a familiar Yiddish song he sang back in his childhood days. His Orthodox Jewish upbringing is an influence throughout the book. Various wall hangings, letters, and newspaper headlines in his illustrations reveal familiar and well-known Yiddish people, names and phrases. Much of it is humorous, but would only be understood and appreciated by mostly adults. Observing the other people in the illustrations around Joseph also reveals more about the culture, times and its people. The setting mostly takes place in a rural farming community, except for when Joseph visits his married sister in the city.
The story begins immediately and weaves back and forth between the current item Joseph has and what he will change it into next. “It got old and worn,” is a repetitive phrase in this book that helps keep a steady and rhythmic flow going throughout the book.
The illustrations in this book were done using techniques with watercolor, Gouache, pencil, ink and collage. Detail abounds everywhere you look in regards to dimension, patterns and texture. Rich regal colors are used throughout. Actual di-cut shapes taken from the book were used artistically to reveal what item of clothing Joseph created next from the overcoat he keeps recycling. Taback carefully planned for the di-cut shapes to blend in with the picture on one side of the book page and then when the page is turned, Joseph’s actual use of his newly created item is in view. To truly appreciate the artistic talent visible in this book, one must witness it with their own eyes.
Joseph is the only character in this book besides background people and animals added to the illustrations for detail. His resourcefulness for being able to improvise and make something useful from a worn out article discourages being wasteful. When his recycled item no longer exists, he exhibits the trait for writing and makes his ingenious resourcefulness into a story to prove that you can always make something out of nothing. If nothing else, this story might just influence you to be more economical.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Randolph Caldecott Medal, 2000 Winner United States
Publishers Weekly: “With its effective repetition and an abundance of visual humor, this is tailor-made for reading aloud.”
*Teach a recycling lesson on re-using materials
*Read the book Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel
*Have students re-write the story in their own words using sequence words (first, next, last) to explain the order of events
*Pass out an assortment of odd items that have been used and now are unwanted (empty and washed out canisters, bottles, cd cases, etc.)and have students create something out of the item they are given
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