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Title: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat (Caldecott Medal Book, 2000) by Simms Taback ISBN: 0-670-87855-3 Publisher: Viking Childrens Books Pub. Date: October, 1999 Format: School & Library Binding Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.88 (26 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: WV State College Student
Comment: I am a student at West Virginia State College currently taking a class called Children's Literature. Our instructor required us to read a Caldecott Medal book as part of our assignment and write our personal view of the book.
This is a great children's book. This book is about a man named Joseph who had an overcoat, which gets old and worn and he makes a jacket out of it. Once the jacket gets olds and worn, he makes a vest out of it. Joseph continues to make something out of the overcoat until there is nothing left to make out of it. The moral of the story is you can always make something out of nothing.
The pictures in this book are very bright and colorful. The pages in the book have cut outs so the children can use their imagination and guess what Joseph will make next. This would be a great book to read aloud in a classroom for children of ages 5 - 8.
Rating: 5
Summary: A great moral lesson for children.
Comment: Taback, Simms. Joseph had a Little Overcoat. New York: Penguin Putnam Books, 1999.
In Simms Taback's, Joseph had a Little Overcoat, Joseph teaches a simple moral lesson to the reader about being resourceful and thrifty. Throughout the book, Joseph makes his overcoat into many different pieces of clothing. He begins with his overcoat becoming a jacket. He then makes a vest out of his jacket, a scarf out of his vest, a necktie out of his scarf, a handkerchief out of his necktie, and then a button out of his handkerchief. In the end, Joseph writes a book about making something out of nothing. He proves to the reader that you can make something out of very little. Taback, also the illustrator, uses watercolor, pencil, ink, and color patchwork collages to illustrate this Caldecott award winning children's book. Many illustrations consist of clippings from magazines and photographs. This paints a realistic picture. Pictures of real coffee cups and saucers are arranged on a shelf that Taback drew. This technique is also used in the rugs on Joseph's floor. Taback has drawn the rugs but placed photos of real pieces of a rug into his drawing. This is such a unique and innovative characteristic of Taback's illustrations. The colors that Taback chose to use are very vivid, primary colors. This may represent the simpleness of Joseph's life. Taback also uses "cut-outs" to illustrate to the reader how Joseph's overcoat becomes different articles of clothing. Each time this occurs, the "cut-outs" get smaller, to show each different piece of clothing that Joseph is wearing. On each page of this book, Taback illustrates various aspects of the life of a Jewish peasant. Jewish life in Poland is visible to the reader through pictures of farm animals, various fruits and vegetables, the minora, Jewish proverbs, motza crackers, and hot tea with lemon. Each of these symbolize Joseph's culture. Taback also convinces the reader that music is a prominent part of the Yiddish culture. One illustration of this shows Joseph dancing at his nephew's wedding, while musicians play. There is another example showing Joseph singing in the men's chorus. In both of these illustrations, Joseph appears to be enjoying the music. It is also evident that Joseph's family and community are a central part of his life. This is a characteristic of the Yiddish culture. Many illustrations in this book have a Jewish proverb hanging on the wall. One proverb says "What one has, one doesn't want, and what one wants, one doesn't have." This indicates a society that is not materialistic. Another proverb simply states, "Better to have an ugly patch than a beautiful hole." Again, thriftiness and simplicity are valued. Pictures of different individuals, such as Moishe, the Melamed, the Rebbe, and Molly Picon, are hanging on the walls of Joseph's home. These individuals must have a special meaning to Joseph and are a part of his culture. Another interesting part of the book is the trip that Joseph takes to the city. Taback illustrates Joseph in his finest clothing. This may show that he does not leave his community often and he only does so on special occasions. Finally, this book captures your attention by the simple moral lesson presented. The book shares information on a culture many people are not familiar with. This simple story promotes cultural diversity along with an ethical message.
Rating: 5
Summary: Joseph is Superb
Comment: This 4th edition of Joseph Had a Little Overcoat varies from its 1977 version in that the watercolor, Gouache, pencil, ink and collage artwork draws attention to subtle message in the terse, repetitive storyline. "Joseph had...So he made...out of it." Clues in the pictures provide important background information like a letter with Joseph's full name that informs us that he's a Jewish man living in Poland; a menorah; pictures hanging in his unkempt farmhouse. Also eye-pleasing are the cut-outs throughout the book that outlines subsequent clothing - all from one disheveled overcoat. Simms Taback uses every square inch of every double-page spread illustration for something. There is boldness in color in everything. It is to be enjoyed by both the reader and the listener, like producers of children's cartoons have grown to understand. Presumably, pictures of real historical figures decorate the pages and house of Joseph. Molly Picon hangs on the wall left of Maurice Schwartz, and a chapter of an open book reads "If I Were a Rothschild" by a Mr. Aleichem. This book is a perfect example of pictures sometimes meaning more than words, even though the few words actually drive the story. Intended for ages 4-8, the whole can receive something substantive from Joseph Had a Little Overcoat.
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Title: Officer Buckle and Gloria (Caldecott Medal Book, 1996) by Peggy Rathmann ISBN: 0399226168 Publisher: Putnam Pub Group Juv Pub. Date: September, 1995 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
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Title: My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann ISBN: 0761315357 Publisher: Millbrook Pr Trade Pub. Date: 01 May, 2002 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: The Three Pigs by David Wiesner ISBN: 0618007016 Publisher: Clarion Books Pub. Date: 23 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: So You Want to Be President? (Caldecott Medal Book, 2001) by Judith St. George, David Small, Judith St George ISBN: 0399234071 Publisher: Philomel Books Pub. Date: 07 August, 2000 List Price(USD): $17.99 |
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Title: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (Caldecott Honor Book) by Simms Taback ISBN: 0670869392 Publisher: Viking Childrens Books Pub. Date: September, 1997 List Price(USD): $15.99 |
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