Fiction/Picture Book/ Folklore

Title: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Author: Simms Taback




About the Author: Simms Taback grew up in the Bronx and graduated from Cooper Union. He has worked as an art director and a graphic designer, and has taught at the School of Visual Arts and Syracause University. He has illustrated many children's books, including I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (Viking), Spacy Riddles, Snakey Riddles, Buggy Riddles, and Fishy Riddles (all written by Katy Hall and lIsa Eisenberg, Dial). His work has won many awards, including the Caldecott Honor Award Medal for I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly and a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book. A father of three and grandfather of three, Mr. Taback lives with his wife in Willow, New York. Amazon

Age Level: 4-8

Synopsis: Joseph is the main character in the book, who has an overcoat that he really likes. The overcoat soon becomes old and worn, but instead of throwing the coat away he makes the overcoat into many different things. Finally the piece of overcoat becomes so small that the only thing that can be made from it is a button. Soon the button falls off and it is lost and Joseph is left with nothing.

Pre-Reading Activities: This story allows the reader to understand that you can always make something out of nothing. Sometimes people use things over and over again. People take old clothing or other things and can make them into something new. Have you ever taken something old and turned it into something new? What did you make? Did you keep what you made or did you give it to someone else? Discuss with the class how we can recycle old things to make new things.

Post-Reading Activities: What was your favorite part of the story? What kinds of clothes does Joseph make from the overcoat? If you were Joseph would you have done the same thing or would you have thrown the overcoat away? After reading the story, the students would gather something old from their homes and bring it in the next day to turn into something new. A letter would be sent to parents to let them know of the activity and
to help their child.

My Reflection: This story takes after a Yiddish Folk Song from 1977. This is an excellent story to portray that you can make a treasure out of anything. It shows that we can recycle something and make it into something new. I like the moral of the story at the end, that you can make something out of nothing!

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