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This Caldecott award winner is based on the author’s favorite childhood Yiddish folk song called I had a Little Overcoat. It is the story of Joseph who begins the tale with an overcoat. Over time, the coat becomes old and worn, so Joseph make it into a jacket. That becomes worn too so he turns it into a vest. Joseph continues to remake items and find even the most worn out items useful. • This is for children aged 4-8 1) Summary & Age Recommendation
A: Agreement) Pictures are used to denote passage of time (spring-fall) as Joseph’s overcoat wears. They also serve to place the book with the Yiddish traditions the book is based on. • B: Extension) The pictures use die cut-outs to show what Joseph is going to make next. When the page is turned, the cut out highlights part of Joseph’s overcoat to make something new. • C: Contradictions) None. 2) Illustrations
The rectangles indicate where the illustrations have been cut out and reuse the little overcoat from the previous page’s illustrations. Before the rectangle cut outs were a scarf, they were window panes. The cut out allows children to guess what Joseph will make next.
http://mrkenthelibrarian.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/joseph2.jpghttp://mrkenthelibrarian.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/joseph2.jpg Everything Joseph makes, excluding the story!
This is an excellent read-aloud book. There is a lot of repetition in the phrasing that would children to join in. The story also invites readers to guess what Joseph will make next. The story is also based on a Yiddish song which is included in the back of the book. Finally, this book allows for strong discussion about re-using items, being resourceful, and making the best of a situation. 3) Read-Aloud
Joseph is the main character and is introduced on the first page wearing his old and worn overcoat. • Throughout the story Joseph learns to reuse his overcoat and make new things. Finally he is left with nothing when he looses the button, the only remaining intact piece of the overcoat. But, Joseph thinks and thinks and discovers he can make a story from his experience, and thus you can always make something from nothing. Thus I would categorize Joseph as a dynamic character. 4) Character Development
This book is perfect for dialogic reading. You can discuss with children what they think will happen next, what else they could make, other things they could or have reused, or to tell their own story about making something from nothing. • This book also provides a repetition of phrases which will help with print recognition. • Activities that would work well with this book would be the use of a flannel board to un-layer Joseph’s clothes as well as singing along to the included traditional Yiddish song, I Had a Little Overcoat. 5)Use in Literacy Development
