Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
by Simms Taback

Joseph had a little overcoat that he dearly loved and wore every day. Eventually it got old and worn, but rather than throw it out, Joseph made it into a jacket, which he wore as often as possible. When that wore out, rather than throw it away, he made a vest, then a scarf, then a tie, then a handkerchief, and then a button. Then, when he lost the button, he made a book about it!

The fun beat, the jolly Joseph, the positive message... this book is a treat! Taback's exciting illustrations are a mixture of gouache, watercolor, and little scraps of  fabric.

What we like best about this book is that Taback has managed to write a feel good story about something as "not fun" as reusing old stuff. Now that's a sign of a real talent! Use this book on Earth Day or in lessons on the 3 Rs of caring for the earth (renew, recycle, reuse). With each transformation, students will clearly see how much joy Joseph got out of his 'new' items each time, as opposed to throwing the items away and buying new ones.

Interest Level: Kindergarten - Grade 2
DRA Level: 16
Lexile Measure:   BR
Grade Level Equivalent: 1.9
Guided Reading Level:  I

Read-Aloud vs. Individual Reading:
For kids in Kindergarten and first grade, this book will need to be a read-aloud rather than for individual reading, as children generally do not read on the reading level (difficulty level) of this book until the end of first grade. The majority of second graders should be able to read this book independently.

Activity to go with this book
Many children know the phrase 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle', but no one really talks about that middle one.  When things wear out, we generally throw them out (or donate them).  But this book reminds us that things that are worn out (or things that we are merely tired of) can be re-purposed into something new and special.

After reading this book to your class, talk about how much Joseph got out of that original overcoat, and how much happiness reusing it brought him. Ask the students if they have ever re-purposed something, or share a time when you re-purposed something. (Most teachers use old food containers to hold different things in their classroom, so you might even be able to show them firsthand.)

Then, for fun and to show how far you can take the reuse concept...show your students a selection of products on the website of TerraCycle -- a company that makes products out of used packaging, and their items are quite trendy. Three sample items are shown below -- a used packaging backpack, a keychain picture frame, and a used packaging purse.