Book Review #6

Joseph Had A Little Overcoat

Author: Simms Taback

Illustrator: Simms Taback

Publisher: Penguin Group, 1999

ISBN: 9780670878550

Main Characters: Joseph 

Plot: Joseph is a Yiddish man whose overcoat has become old and worn.  Oy Vey iz Mir! He decides to make use of his skills by turning the overcoat into a little jacket. He is a thrifty, frugal man, which is considered a good thing by most people in the Yiddish and Jewish cultures.  When the overcoat becomes worn, he turns it into a jacket. When the jacket becomes worn, he turns it into a vest. When the vest becomes worn, he turns it into a scarf.  When the scarf becomes worn, he turns it into a necktie. When the necktie becomes worn, he turns it into a handkerchief.  When the handkerchief becomes worn, he turns it into a button and eventually into a book about the things he made from the overcoat.

Settings: A Yiddish farm

Genre/Theme/Style: Picture Book. The story is based on a Yiddish folk song that is found in the back of the book. 

The style is something similar to a bright and lively collage. It has a feeling of cheerfulness and vibrancy.  It is extremely full of details. In fact, it is so full that the reader might need to go back an look at it several times to find all of the interesting depictions.  

5 Roars!🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: This story is about a person who has made something good from something that has been previously considered old and warn. That shows that he has not only skills, but the gift of seeing value and worth in things that other people might miss out on in life. 

The book keeps it kid friendly and light, while  the art work adds an extra dimension to the story. I really enjoyed the style of the book and the art work. They work well together.   

Why 5 Roars? I think this book is special because it teaches the value of stewardship. Learning to recycle and take better care of our possessions is a great theme for readers everywhere. 

I absolutely adore the fact that when the reader thinks there is nothing left to make anything out of, Joseph creates a book from it. How joyful and creative is that? It gives us the suggestion that when everything else is gone, our experiences are what we have left of life and they are our most precious resource. 

Illustrations: The illustrations represent the Yiddish and Jewish culture well. In places, you can find written Yiddish if you are looking for it. They portray a happy community of people living a simple life that includes finding joy in little things.   

Awards: Caldecott Medal, National Jewish Book Award for Children's Picture Book

Connections: 

Read Aloud

My First YiddishWord Book by Kar-Ben Publishing