Joseph had a little overcoat

Taback, Simms. Joseph had a little overcoat. New York: Viking, 1999.

"Joseph had a little overcoat. It was old and worn. So he made a jacket out of it and went to the fair..." So begins this re-telling of a story in an old Yiddish song, in which an overcoat becomes a jacket becomes a vest becomes a scarf, until eventually even the button is lost and Joseph truly has nothing. But when he makes a story out of this experience, he proves you really can make something from nothing. Simms Taback's lively painted illustrations have a bright folk art feel at times, but also use well-integrated elements of photographic collage which gives them a more modern feel. It is the simple but brilliant use of die-cuts, however, that most clearly tie the illustrations to the narrative by re-framing the fabric of one item into the next smaller one - a scarf into a necktie, for instance. This playful and well-executed use of the die-cut technique not only adds continuity, but also provides a gentle sense of visual suspense. The combination of appealing and engaging illustrations with a short and patterned text make this an excellent candidate for story time. A Caldecott Medal book.

A re-illustration of an earlier version by the same author/illustrator. Song lyrics and notation provided at the end.