If you’ve read any of my writing, you know I love Jesus and people.
I celebrate God’s intentional plan for diversity in His Kingdom, as well as His heart for all people . . . even those who have yet to surrender to Him ̶ the lost.
I wrote my first picture book, Different Like Me, after a student called my son a racial slur in kindergarten. Different Like Me and Diferente como yo celebrates our differences and our sameness as God’s beautifully diverse image-bearers.
In my second picture book, What Color is God’s Love?, I used the colors God created to reveal the full spectrum of His unchanging character. I worked with the publisher and the talented illustrator Darshika Varma to ensure we included multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and multi-generational characters, some with and some without disabilities, working and playing together.
My third picture book, Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown, has been added to Brightly’s “The Most Exciting Picture Books Coming Fall 2024.” To God be the glory!
I wrote Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown after a student told my granddaughter she couldn’t be related to her sisters because she is Black and they are White.
I affirmed that God made and uses melanin, which is BROWN, to design the perfect skin tones for all His image-bearers around the world.
I assured Brooklyn that she, her sisters, our diverse family members, and all the people God made are wonderfully, marvelously BROWN ̶ from the darkest ebony to the lightest ivory ̶ because we all have melanin.
These statements about melanin and the various hues of human skin are scientific facts. However, Scripture ̶ which is most important to me ̶ also supports this truth.
These are the Bookend Bible verses God used as the foundational truth for the message He entrusted me to share in Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown.
“When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them ‘Mankind’ when they were created.” Genesis 5:1-2
“God saw all that he made and it was very good.” Genesis 1:31
Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown is my creative way of equipping readers to break down the lies that divide God’s beautifully, diverse image-bearers. I worked with the amazing WaterBrook Kids publishing team and the Pura Bulpre Honor Artist Sara Palacios to ensure we represented a wide range of the spectacular shades of brown God made.
In Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown, a young boy with an invisible illness (like me) and his service dog (inspired by my service dog Callie) join a diverse cast of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and multi-generational characters with and without disabilities on an adventure across five regions of the United States.
Each page rejoices in a child’s sense of curiosity and imagination, while celebrating the beauty of God’s creativity in designing brown things in the world, including His wonderfully, marvelously brown image-bearers.
SPECIAL DISCOUNT OFFER: Barnes & Noble Members will receive 25% OFF Pre-orders for Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown September 4-6, 2024!
Premium Members will also receive an additional 10% off print book pre-orders.
USE Coupon Code: PREORDER25 at checkout (case-sensitive, no spaces).
Please click HERE to pre-order Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown from Barnes & Noble.
Love your neighbors and pre-order extra copies to share as gifts and to donate to your church, a local library, school, Free Little Library, or afterschool program.
#BNPreorder
I can do nothing without God or your ongoing prayers, encouragement, practical support, and reviews!
Will you come alongside me in ministry by supporting me in prayer and helping me spread the word about Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown, published by WaterBrook Kids, an imprint of Penguin Random House?
Through the month of September 2024, I need people to:
- Pray for readers!
- Pre-order at least one copy of Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown before September 30, 2024. Click here for the access links provided by the publisher.
- Share Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown on your social media pages.
- Write a short review of Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown on Goodreads, NetGalley, Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, and any other review platforms you enjoy between October 1, 2024 and October 31, 2024.
- Keep praying and sharing Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown with people as God leads in 2024 and beyond!
- Interview me on Instagram or Facebook Live, or for your blog, podcast, newsletter, substack, or YouTube channel.
- Book me as a speaker for your churche, school, classroom, Sunday School, Church Camp, or community event in 2024-2025.
- Encourage churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations to order in bulk, receive discounted prices, and give away copies of Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown to neighborhood families, schools, libraries, Free Little Libraries, afterschool programs, and more.
For more information and to order in bulk, please email the following:
*Churches: [email protected]
*Ministries: [email protected]
*Nonprofit Organizations: [email protected]
Thanks for coming alongside me as we fulfill the Great Commission while living out the Greatest Commandment!
God uses your partnership in ministry to keep me going as He moves mountains, breaks down dividing walls, and builds bridges to connect and celebrate His beautifully diverse image-bearers.
To God be the glory, the honor, and the praise!
In preparation for the release of Tyndale’s Go Bible for Kids, I joined four other contributors on the BookWorthy Podcast.
When the host asked me to share my favorite story in the Bible, I said, “Jesus’s story. The whole Bible, because the Old Testament and the New Testaments point to Christ.”
When she asked how I stay motived to read the Bible, I told her that I remember that the Bible is not just a book and reading the Bible is not just a task to be checked off a list.
When we read Scripture, we are meeting with God, hearing from God, getting to know God. We’re connecting with Him, worshipping Him, and being lavished by His love, as the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts and minds to align with the unerring and unchanging God-breathed words of Scripture.
To nurture a biblical perspective, we need to know what God says in the whole Bible.
Reading the whole Bible is the only way we will know God’s whole story, God’s character, God’s commands, and God’s heart for every single one of the image-bearers He created and loves.
In 2025, I’ll be reading through the New Living Translation using Tyndale’s NLT Go Bible for Kids. I hope you will join me.
For more information, to download free activity sheets and resources, and to order Tyndale’s NLT Go Bible for Kids, please CLICK HERE.
To listen to the BookWorthy interview, please CLICK HERE.
To watch the BookWorthy interview, please CLICK HERE.
To subscribe to receive daily encouragement devotions from Our Daily Bread Ministries, including the Bible in a Year Reading Schedule, please CLICK HERE.
I am looking forward to growing with you!
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#wonderfullymarvelouslybrown #xochitldixon #ChristianBooks #Christian #faith #Jesus
