Caldecott Medal 2000: Complete list of winners

The 2000 Caldecott Medal went to Simms Taback for Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, a picture book that proves the most elegant stories often come from the simplest premises. Taback’s illustrated retelling of the traditional Yiddish folktale follows Joseph as he transforms his worn overcoat into increasingly smaller garments—a vest, a tie, a handkerchief, and finally a button—each stage of the journey rendered with Taback’s characteristically warm and inventive artwork. The Caldecott Medal, awarded annually by the American Library Association since 1938 to the most distinguished American picture book for children, has long celebrated the marriage of outstanding illustration and storytelling. Taback’s win that year highlighted the award committee’s appreciation for work that honors cultural traditions while speaking to universal themes of resourcefulness and making do.

What made Taback’s victory particularly resonant was how Joseph Had a Little Overcoat captured something timeless in a contemporary way. The book’s die-cut pages and playful visual narrative gave the folktale new life for a modern audience, demonstrating that picture books need not be trendy to be transcendent. This recognition cemented Taback’s place among the pantheon of Caldecott Medal winners, adding another chapter to the prestigious award’s legacy of championing artistic excellence in children’s literature.

Picture Books

• Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback