*Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown by Xochitl Dixon

So much of God’s creation is wonderfully, marvelously brown, including people!

*Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown by Xochitl Dixon, illustrated by Sara Palacios. WaterBrook, 2024. 40 pages.

• Reading Level: Picture books, ages 4-8
• Recommended For: Ages 0-8

Xochitl (so-cheel) Dixon dedicates this book to “every boy and girl made in God’s image” and writes that she’s praying for all those who, like her, have felt inferior or insecure because of the “God-given color of their skin.” That’s a pitch-perfect introduction to this marvelously illustrated book all about the many shades of brown. Many of us (like myself) have not experienced these feelings because we’re a part of majority culture, but I’m so thankful for Christian authors, illustrators, and publishers who are beginning to fill their picture books with better representation.

When my family moved to the desert from the lush mountains, we learned that there are many shades of brown. At first, it was tongue-in-cheek, but we soon learned that brown exists in countless shades. And brown is beautiful. That’s what Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown begins to communicate. Brown is the color of sparrows and thrashers, of trees and pastries, of the Grand Canyon and “warm, breezy beaches.” Brown is everywhere, and brown is beautiful.

Every so often, a double-page spread offers up the refrain, “I look here. I look there. I’m searching to see something wonderfully, marvelously brown – just like me!”

This book’s illustrations are fantastic. All sorts of people are represented (all skin colors, obviously, but also I spotted a wheelchair, glasses, crutches, a hearing aid, and multiple ages of people). Notably, “brown” includes people we might call “white” and “black” as well as everything in between; this is almost too obvious to point out, but it’s an important point. Images also include so many fun things to notice, from different cultural foods and food-related signs to tiny mice hiding on the page to the details of different people’s dress.

Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown ends with this: “God made so many colors, each a beautiful hue. Still, I’m glad He used brown when He made me and you.” Lovely. Some books-with-a-message are boring and preachy. This one is both sincere and fun.

Considerations: none

Bottom Line: Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown will be a great resource for parents and educators both.

*indicates a starred review, the best of the best in its field.

Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader

• Review: God’s Very Good Idea by Trillia Newbell is practically a “must read alongside” title; it would make a perfect complement to Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown.
• Reviews: We’re glad Christian publishers are making an effort to present more authentic-looking brown characters in Bible story books. Here’s a sampling of some recent titles: The God Contest by Carl Laferton and Jesus Moments: Jonah by Alison Mitchell.
• Reviews: For lots of titles featuring brown characters, check out our Cultural Diversity tagged titles.

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