ANNOTATION

Winner of the 2000 Caldecott Award.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Joseph had a little overcoat, but it was full of holes--just like this book! When Joseph's coat got too old and shabby, he made it into a jacket. But what did he make it into after that? And after that?

As children turn the pages of this book, they can use the die-cut holes to guess what Joseph will be making next from his amazing overcoat--while they laugh at the bold, cheerful artwork and learn that you can always make something, even out of nothing

SYNOPSIS

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is a sophisticated and technically accomplished tour de force....a fine example of the comlex artistry that lets good children's picture books seem to be simple.
— Riverbank Review

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Childrens Literature

What do you do with an overcoat that is torn and worn but that is so dear that you can't toss it out? Cut it down, trim it and turn it into something else. That's just what Simms Taback does in his Caldecott Medal book Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. Taback has clothed this well-known tale with comic characters, bold colors and a die-cut on each page to highlight the journey from coat to button to memory. The only thing left is to tell the story. Each page is enriched with details appreciated more by adults than children--for example, a newspaper headline reads "Fiddler On Roof Falls Off Roof" or "Chelm Rabbi Knows Why the Ocean is Salty" (It's due to the herring)! Family pictures adorn the walls and peer out of apartment windows, Yiddish newspapers lying on the floor, books with authors such as Sholom Aleichem and I.L. Peretz all vie for attention and inspire adults to share this book with their children and grandchildren. The music is included at the end of the book. 1999, Viking, Ages 4 to Adult, $15.99. Reviewer: Jan Lieberman

School Library Journal

Pre-Gr 3-A book bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit. When Joseph's overcoat becomes "old and worn," he snips off the patches and turns it into a jacket. When his jacket is beyond repair, he makes a vest. Joseph recycles his garments until he has nothing left. But by trading in his scissors for a pen and paintbrush he creates a story, showing "you can always make something out of nothing." Clever die-cut holes provide clues as to what Joseph will make next: windowpanes in one scene become a scarf upon turning the page. 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.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.