Welcome, Precious
By Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Bryan Collier
Orchard Books, $16.99
32 pp.; ISBN 043955702X

Review by Amy Brozio-Andrews

Every now and again, a book comes along that you almost wish you'd written. The writing, the style, the sentiment -- it's the story you would have told your child if only you had the words. Welcome, Precious is one of those books; you may read these words and suddenly wish you'd known how to speak them so eloquently when you first held your own newborn. But even though your baby might not be an infant anymore, you can both still enjoy Nikki Grimes' joyful new picture book.

In Welcome, Precious, young African American parents celebrate the arrival of their new baby from morning to night, not with hearts and flowers, but with a heartfelt welcome. From sights and sounds to love and kisses, all of the good things baby has to look forward to are introduced to the child by the infant's parents, concluding with a comforting appeal to rest in mother's arms, and promises of safety and love. Low-key yet still high-interest, the lyrical voice of Welcome, Precious voice reflects the truest love of a parent for a child.

Almost prayerful in its cadence, the sincerity of Grimes' prose conveys the seriousness with which the newborn's parents take their responsibility, the gratitude they feel in welcoming their child into their lives, and the joy and excitement they feel in looking forward to sharing a whole world of sensory experiences with their baby -- playing with soap bubbles, kisses from Grandma, the beauty of the sun and moon, and more.

Grimes' poetic language makes use of both sound and imagery. For example, "the silk of grass, the satin of rose petals" invokes the sense of touch for the child listening to the story as much as it must for the baby in the book. Accompanied by Bryan Collier's high-impact illustrations, Welcome, Precious draws the reader in, persuading children to embrace the story with all their senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. The simplicity of the text is juxtaposed with the big, bright, one-and-a-half page illustrations: the brief text in the margin is bordered simply with a slim line of color that's complementary to the accompanying illustration. The calm of the text pairs nicely -- visually and aurally -- with the vibrant, energetic, artwork.

Bryan Collier, who also illustrated the Caldecott Honor books Rosa and Martin's Big Words, has blended watercolor art and collage into an attention-getting blend of realism and whimsy. The use of collage pieces in the illustrations provide strong visual appeal for young kids; a closer look at the artwork reveals patterns and textures that add depth and contrast to the work. The demonstrations of nurturing -- by mother, father, grandmother -- support Grimes' narrative completely. The overall impression that's left with the reader is so loving and caring, I can't imagine a young child not feeling safe and secure after having this book read to her.

Grimes, a past recipient of the Coretta Scott King Author Award, has written a beautiful, life affirming picture book with a soothing tone, perfect for naptime, bedtime, and quiet time.