Joseph Had A Little Overcoat
1 Hardcover/1 CD (see all formats)

"When Joseph's much-loved overcoat becomes too worn to wear, the resourceful tailor makes smaller and smaller items until there is only enough cloth for a button. When the button is lost, Joseph tells the story, reinforcing the moral: you can always make something from nothing. Based on an old Yiddish folk song, Taback's spirited, well-paced narration allows time to pour over the dense gouache, watercolor, collage, and pencil-and-ink illustrations. Playful sound effects extend the humor, while the Klezmatics' rousing music reinforces the focus on Jewish culture."

"Author Simms Taback reads the text of his popular picture book, one that weaves the tale about a piece of fabric that follows a man, first as his overcoat, then his coat, his vest, his scarf, and eventually as it wears away, Joseph has nothing left of his overcoat but the story to tell. With amusing sound effects, musical accompaniment, and Taback's playful reading, this is a listening delight. The program is repeated on both sides of the cassette, once with page-turning cues. At the end of the story, Taback sings the Yiddish folk song that is the basis for the story. Together with the print version, JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT is a worthy addition to any children's library, public or private."