A review by sarahfett
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
5.0
book tells the story of a man named Joseph, whose overcoat had become tattered and worn.
Instead of throwing it away, he turned his overcoat into a jacket. When the jacket became
shabby he turned it into a vest, which then became a scarf, a necktie, a handkerchief, and
finally a button. When the button was lost, leaving Joseph with nothing, he decided to write a
story about his clothing recycling. The book’s ending reminds us that “…you can always make
something out of nothing.”
The book won the Caldecott Medal in 2000 for its distinguished artwork. Pencil and ink
drawings, watercolors, and collage were used to create vibrant images. Each page is full of small
details that will amuse both children and adults. Cut outs were used on many pages to show
the evolution of Joseph’s overcoat into other items of clothing.
It is a happy story that teaches children about using their imaginations to find new uses for old
things instead of simply throwing everything away. Publisher’s Weekly wrote that “children of
all ages will joyfully swallow this book whole.”
(From my church's newsletter, November 2011)
Instead of throwing it away, he turned his overcoat into a jacket. When the jacket became
shabby he turned it into a vest, which then became a scarf, a necktie, a handkerchief, and
finally a button. When the button was lost, leaving Joseph with nothing, he decided to write a
story about his clothing recycling. The book’s ending reminds us that “…you can always make
something out of nothing.”
The book won the Caldecott Medal in 2000 for its distinguished artwork. Pencil and ink
drawings, watercolors, and collage were used to create vibrant images. Each page is full of small
details that will amuse both children and adults. Cut outs were used on many pages to show
the evolution of Joseph’s overcoat into other items of clothing.
It is a happy story that teaches children about using their imaginations to find new uses for old
things instead of simply throwing everything away. Publisher’s Weekly wrote that “children of
all ages will joyfully swallow this book whole.”
(From my church's newsletter, November 2011)