Little Overcoat, Big Impact

Taback, Simms. 1999. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT. New York: Viking. ISBN 978-0670878550

I absolutely love this book. I would echo the sentiments of Tim Arnold (2000) when he says, “Taback's mixed-media and collage illustrations are alive with warmth, humor, and humanity." The written adaptation of this traditional Yiddish tale and the accompanying illustrations are simply phenomenal.

The story follows Joseph as he goes through life with his overcoat. When the overcoat gets worn, he uses the remnants to make a jacket. When the jacket gets worn, he uses the remnants to make a vest. This pattern continues until all that is left is a single button. When Joseph loses the button at the end, he appears to have nothing left. However, the resourceful Joseph continues to use the overcoat by writing of a book about his experience. Along the way, Joseph interacts with his family and community with each new permutation of the overcoat. The book ends with the sheet music for the traditional Yiddish song on which this story is based.

What at first glance is a simple story is surprisingly rich and complex. By definition, it is a realistic tale, but it is also a sort of cumulative story in reverse as the reader follows the degressive course of the overcoat. With each successive revision of the coat, a hole appears in the page through which we see the new incarnation of the coat. Turning the page, the reader discovers what Joseph has made from the remnants of the coat with the repeated phrase “So he made a ___out of it.” I love the illustrations, which give children a rich experience by providing an incredible variety of detail. There are newspapers, letters, faces, and much more that provide wonderful diversions from the simple refrain of the tale. I think the story could have incorporated the original Yiddish song better instead of simply tacking it on at that end, though I appreciate that it was fully represented on the final page.

I shared this book with both my daughters, and they were fascinated by the illustrations. With my five-year-old, I prompted her by asking “what all do you see on this page?” After the first page, she excitedly pointed out the endless sea of details that serve as a foil for the simple words. She also loved guessing what Joesph would make next based on the shapes cut out of the pages. My ten-year-old also loved guessing what Joseph would make next, and I was surprised by how taken she was with the sheet music at the end. Simms Taback is an author not to be missed, and this book in particular is a real gem.

Arnold, Tim. 2000. Booklist 96(9/10). January 1/15. Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database, Texas Woman’s University. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:4529/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=0&isbn=9780670878550