Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Written & illustrated by Simms Taback

An old coat transforms into new garments. What comes next?

5.2/7 Bookroo experts·4.1/5 Goodreads · 18,106 ratings

40 pages· 184 words· Est. 2 min read-aloud

$17.99Save 6%

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Bookroo's summary

Joseph's overcoat is worn and full of holes, but he sees potential. As it transforms from coat to jacket and beyond, each page invites you to guess the next creation. Discover how Joseph turns nothing into something, sparking laughter and creativity with every turn.

From the publisher

A very old overcoat is recycled numerous times into a variety of garments.

Awards

Caldecott Medal (2000)Sydney Taylor Book Honor (1999)

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 40
Words: 184
Reading age: 3–7
Audience: Picture
Lexile: -330L

Themes & topics

Books about recycling Books about coats Books about Eastern Europe Books about resourcefulness Books about creativity

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.2

out of 7

4.8

“This was a fun little story about using up and wearing out what we have. A great story about recycling our own things in our own way.”

Mom of Boys

Trusted reviewer

4.3

“The illustrations in this book are very fun (Caldecott Honor book, so you'd expect nothing less!) and my favorite part is how detailed they are, with fun little references to Fiddler on the Roof and other cultural phenomena. It is a little moralizing (but it says it will be right up front and doesn't pretend to anything else!) but the lesson is a great one in our throw it away world...reuse and reinvent! It's not personally my favorite book, but I can see why it's beloved.”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one