joseph had a little overcoat by simms taback

And though Joseph says nothing about the source of his coat, we have ample reminders in the Bible about the source of our good gifts. Joseph demonstrates how to use what we have, not simply clothing but also the world’s resource responsibly and joyfully. Remarkably, as the material of the overcoat diminishes, Joseph finds continued occasions for joy. In our society of over consumption and planned obsolescence, Joseph is a model who creatively uses and re-uses. Theological Conversation Partners: Joseph is a wonderful example of good stewardship nothing is wasted, possibilities are seen in worn and damaged goods, and everything is enjoyed. How does the perspective on gender/race/culture/economics/ability make a difference to the story? Joseph lives in an unspecified time and place so the only perspective affecting the story is the richness and vitality of the Yiddish culture, the source of the song. When Joseph is left with nothing the room is empty and even the animals slip away when he begins to write the room becomes crowded again.

The pages are filled with color and details: cloth, buttons, scissors, thread, people, animals, pictures, and such things as a news paper headline: Fiddler falls off roof. As each page is turned the reader can look at the next die cut hole and guess what Joseph’s coat will become. Literary elements at work in the story: This Caldecott Medal book is a marvelous wedding of story and picture. This slight story is based on an old Yiddish folk song that is included at the back of the book. And that’s the moral: you can always make something out of nothing. When Joseph loses the button he has nothing left except a story to tell.

The jacket is worn to a fair, the vest to a wedding, the scarf to a men’s chorus, the necktie to a family visit. Each coat transformation is accompanied by some joyful experience depicted in vibrant colors. As the jacket continues to wear out it becomes in turn a vest, a scarf, a necktie, a handkerchief, and a button. Summary: Joseph had a little overcoat that was worn and full of holes so he made it into a jacket.

Joseph had a little overcoat by simms taback