Creative God Colorful Us by Trillia Newbell

 

 

All we have to do is look around and we can see that God made us all differently. We have different hair colors, different body shapes and different abilities. We are also different colors. In Creative God Colorful Us, Trillia Newbell helps middle grade students understand our differences and to celebrate them--as all of us are God's children in His family.

Creative God Colorful Us starts out with a letter from Newbell explaining why she wrote the book and how to use it. There are seven chapters. Each chapter is framed around one big idea for kids to focus on. At the end of each chapter, Newbell asks them some questions to think about and to either write about or talk about. There is also an activity at the end of each chapter to help each big idea stick in the kids' minds. At the end of the book, Newbell also includes a list of helpful words to know from the book, Bible verses to read, and a letter to adults who are guiding families to help them enjoy their differences. 

Creative God Colorful Us is a good book to help middle grade children better understand racial issues. Newbell does this by first helping readers understand how to be part of God's family and how he made us all differently. It is definitely a Christian book with the Gospel message clearly relayed to readers as a big part of understanding how we are all made differently including our skin colors. I thought it was all well presented and easy to understand for the age group. Initially, I thought it would have a clear racial message and only a racial message. I wanted to read it because I know that the author is a black woman and I have read another book by her that I enjoyed. As I reflected on the book, I thought she tied everything together quite well and it made sense how she presented our racial differences as part of God's family so we can learn to better love one another as God intended. While I think her letter to parents at the end of the book is great, I also think this could be a good book to use in Sunday School or middle school youth group.  I would definitely recommend Creative God Colorful Us. I also liked the gorgeous cover and illustrations from Chase Williamson.

I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers. All opinions within this review are my own.