Can a coat survive as… a BUTTON? 🧥✨ In Joseph Had a Little Overcoat—Simms Taback’s 1999 Caldecott-winning masterpiece—resourcefulness gets a confetti cannon of fun! Joseph’s frayed coat magically shrinks into increasingly tiny treasures (vest! handkerchief! a single button!), while Taback’s riotous collages (think polka-dot roosters and Yiddish newspaper clippings) beg kids to shout, “What’s next?!”

Why families and teachers adore this book:

• Interactive magic: Die-cut pages let kids peek at the next transformation (gasp—it’s a tie!).
• Eco-friendly stealth mode: Spark “Trash to Treasure” crafts (sock puppets, anyone?).
• Cultural heritage: Based on a Yiddish song—cue a folk melody singalong! 🎶

Pro tip: Hunt for Taback’s hidden Easter eggs (spoiler: a goat side-eye!). Award cred: School Library Journal declared, “Brilliantly teaches frugality without a lecture” (2000). Parent hack: The board book’s chunky pages survive glitter explosions. 🎨 Perfect for ages 4-8, but crafty grandmas will steal it for quilt ideas. Bonus: The final message (“You can always make something from nothing!”) sticks like glue.