Harlem 1987. Claireece Jones, sixteen years old, goes by Precious as her middle name. She is also illiterate. Her second child is due to be born. Both her biological parents raped her as a child. Precious lives with her infant daughter Mongo, a name she gave because she has Down Syndrome. Precious lives in the home of Mary, her mother who is a physical and emotional abuser to Precious. Mary is a smoker, a smoker, and a fraud collector of welfare. She doesn't look for work and thinks that education will do nothing for Precious. Precious would prefer to collect welfare, even if it was just for the money. Precious daydreams about glamorous life to escape the stresses of her daily lives. Precious is transferred to an alternative school because of her pregnancy. Precious is able to communicate with Miss Blu Rain, the sympathetic teacher at her school. She helps Precious believe she has a chance to have a bright future. Precious begins to feel that she can overcome the abuse of her mother after the birth of her baby. --Huggo
