Have you seen Welcome to the Party by Gabrielle Union, illustrated by Ashley Evans, floating around the interwebs yet? Just published on Tuesday, Welcome to the Party has received lots of well-deserved attention. Written in rolling rhyme, illustrated with bright and diverse yet simple and eye-catching illustrations, and hugely celebratory, Welcome to the Party (gifted to me by HarperCollins Publishers in exchange for an honest review) is a wonderful new addition to book celebrating parents and babies!
Let’s start with the dedication. Union writes, “To my daughter, Kaavia James, and every family whose journey to baby might’ve taken a bit longer than expected. Welcome to the party; you are right on time.” And Welcome to the Party continues to read as a love letter to both those babies AND their parents!
From the opening illustration of a mother holding a newborn to the closing picture of a full-family embrace, you’ll find celebrations on every page. Celebrations of those sleepy newborn snuggles, celebrations of meeting new friends and family, of bathtimes, new foods, and dance parties, Union’s covered it all! And the best part is that this story starts with the baby lovingly held in her mother’s arms, so any mother, regardless of her road to motherhood, can connect with Union’s tender tribute.
I also love that Evans depicts not just the immediate family’s celebration, but also shows extended family and friends, thrilled to show this child their deep and joyous love. Her illustrations will tug at adults’ heartstrings while attracting the attention of young listeners… Bright, bold, and fun, but not at all busy, Evans has truly captured the joy of Union’s words.
Now, I have to say that Welcome to the Party has been hailed as “perfect for welcoming a baby to the party of life,” and this is indeed true. But, I’d also argue that Welcome to the Party would make an absolutely perfect first birthday gift! Baby shower gift, new baby gift, Mother’s or Father’s Day gift, first birthday gift… This one’s multi-purpose!
If you’d like to purchase Welcome to the Party through my affiliate links, click the buttons below! All other links for purchase in this post are Amazon Affiliate links. A big thank you to Harper Kids for sharing this book with our family in exchange for an honest review.
If you liked this book, check out:
- The Wonder That is You by Glenys Nellist
- Loretta’s Gift by Pat Zietlow Miller
- Remarkably You by Pat Zietlow Miller
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