There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly

Author & Illustrator:   Simms Taback
Publisher:  Viking
Publication Year: 1997 
Location: Personal Collection

Awards:  Caldecott Honor, NYT Best Illustrated

Summary:  In the traditional poem, there was an old lady who swallowed a fly, spider, bird, and so on until she swallows a horse (and dies of course). Simms Taback uses his die-cut collages to illustrate this version and shows the inside of the old lady's stomach!


Classroom Ideas: This book can be used to teach repetition and rhythm. Art teachers could use it as an excellent example of the art of collage.

Joseph had a little Overcoat

Author & Illustrator:   Simms Taback
Publisher:  Viking Press
Publication Year:   1999
Location: Personal library

Awards:   Caldecott

Summary:  Based on the Yiddish song "I had a little overcoat." Joseph has a coat and parts of it wear out and he continues to remake it into new things. Finally it ends up a button. The illustrations mix watercolor and cut paper in collages.





Review: Barbara Kiefer, chair of the Caldecott Award Committee, commented, "Vibrant rich colors, playful details, and skillfully-placed die cuts contribute to the books raucous merriment that takes this Yiddish folk song far beyond the simple words."

Classroom Ideas: Theme: You can always make something out of nothing. (reuse?)