*Creative God Colorful Us by Trillia Newbell

Creative God Colorful Us invites students to enjoy God’s diverse family by loving God and their neighbor and celebrating God’s human creation.

*Creative God Colorful Us by Trillia Newbell. Moody, 2021. 128 pages.

Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-12

Recommended For: Middle grades, ages 8-12, especially in groups (families, Sunday school classes, school groups, etc.)

Every person is made by God and in the image of God and therefore is equal in value and worth.

Writing directly to young readers, Newbell opens with a letter that immediately invites connection with her readers. She then dives into the beautiful story of the Bible: God’s magnificent creation, the fall, our rescue, and the church. Our unity as believers, as members of God’s family, runs throughout this book. We are each created by God in his image, and we are called to love one another—regardless of our differences. Because of sin, we can’t do this perfectly, but Newbell reminds us that heaven will be wonderful. And we can taste some of that wonder here on earth through the enabling of the Holy Spirit.

We don’t always get along. Our differences aren’t sinful, but the way we treat each other because of our differences can be.

While racism is an obvious application for this book, Newbell includes all sorts of differences: hair color, skin color, ability, interests, and more. Creative God Colorful Us is pitch perfect for middle school students struggling with anxiety over these very issues. Newbell echoes many of the same phrasings as her excellent God’s Very Good Idea, taking those ideas a little further in this volume. Simultaneously accessible to students who may never have heard these great truths before and to those who’ve grown up in church, Creative God Colorful Us is filled with room for application, reminders to chew over its content, and Scripture. Highly recommended.

Considerations:

• Consider using this book alongside God’s Very Good Idea (for younger students) in your church or school.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

• Worldview/Moral Rating: 5 out of 5
• Literary/Artistic Rating: 4.75 out of 5

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

• A Review: As mentioned already, God’s Very Good Idea is the perfect accompaniment
• A Review: Under Our Skin is another helpful resource about race for parents (and teens)
• A Resource: Books About Racism (a book list)

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