WELCOME HOME

A racially diverse adoptive extended family welcomes home a new baby.

In rhyming quatrains, the family members successively introduce themselves to a White newborn who is never named or gendered. They include White heterosexual parents, siblings (one Black and two White), two White grandparents, a White aunt, a Black uncle, and two cousins who appear to be mixed-race. As each relation bids the infant welcome, the verse captures their various personalities and reactions, but always, the common thread is utter joy. While the text’s cheerful, singsong cadences are likely to hold children’s interest, the rhymes occasionally scan awkwardly or sound forced. The omniscient narration maintains a somewhat distant perspective throughout the story. Kheiriyeh’s illustrations are rendered in acrylic, oil paint, ink, and oil pastel, with a light pencil line. Collaged hand-painted paper and appliquéd feather details add a touch of inventiveness. The elongated proportions and curved contours of the characters make them feel larger than life; however facial features lack nuance. The bright pinks and blues of the home’s cheerful interiors and of the clan’s clothing both create and challenge gendered associations. Family members and neighbors present a wide range of skin tones, hair textures, and body types.

A sweet but lightweight portrayal of the ritual of welcoming a new baby.