Joesph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
Module 2: Book Review 2
Bibliography
Taback, S. (2000). Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. Scholastic.
ISBN: 9780670878550
Plot Summary
This story is about Joseph, an optimistic, creative, and resourceful individual. He owns an overcoat that he loves so much, but it becomes so worn out that he does not want to get rid of it. Instead of throwing it away, he thinks of ways that he can transform it into something that he needs. As he changes the items it the fabric becomes smaller and smaller. It started as his overcoat, then became a vest, a scarf, a tie, a handkerchief, and finally a button. At the end, he loses his button, but he does not get upset. He writes a story about it, proving the saying that you can always make something out of nothing.
Critical Analysis
Simms Taback’s story, Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, is based on a traditional Yiddish folk song that delivers a meaningful message about being resourceful and resilient. Joseph shows the reader that you make do with what you have, and just because it is not broken, you can not fix it. The illustrations that Simms Taback uses are called mixed-media, and they are vibrant throughout the whole story. He uses die-cut holes that foreshadow the next transformation if readers can catch it. This keeps the readers engaged and allows predictions to start conversations. This Caldecott Medal book is a great story for any child or adult who needs a light-hearted story.
Give students the task to think of other ideas that they could have made. This could be a writing prompt or a hands-on activity where they can bring in old shirts and make new things from the old, just as Joseph did.
This would be great with sequencing objects in size or retelling a story.
Comments
Post a Comment