Joseph had a little overcoat (1977)
Joseph had a little overcoat is a 1977 folklore book written by Simms Taback.
Joseph is a Jewish farmer with a beloved overcoat, and when it grows old and worn he refuses to throw it away. Instead he snips and stitches it into a jacket, then a vest, then a scarf, and onward down to a single button, each new thing a little smaller than the last. Simms Taback's Caldecott Medal winner pairs bright folk-art collage with clever die-cut pages that peek ahead to the next garment. Built on a Yiddish folk song, it carries a simple, generous lesson: you can always make something out of nothing.
Quick answers
What is Joseph had a little overcoat about?
Joseph is a Jewish farmer with a beloved overcoat, and when it grows old and worn he refuses to throw it away. Instead he snips and stitches it into a jacket, then a vest, then a scarf, and onward down to a single button, each new thing a little smaller than the last. Simms Taback's Caldecott Medal winner pairs bright folk-art collage with clever die-cut pages that peek ahead to the next garment. Built on a Yiddish folk song, it carries a simple, generous lesson: you can always make something out of nothing.
When was Joseph had a little overcoat published?
Joseph had a little overcoat was published in 1977.
Who made Joseph had a little overcoat?
Joseph had a little overcoat was written by Simms Taback.
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A few thoughts on Joseph had a little overcoat
Read it beside other picture books that find wonder in small transformations. Eric Carle's collage classics share the tactile, cut-paper joy; Ezra Jack Keats celebrates ordinary neighborhood life with the same warmth; and Maurice Sendak rewards young readers who like a story with a wink. All three reward slow page-turning and reading aloud together.