By Alyssa Fisher, Director of Communications

“Mom, does God love boys more than girls?” This question from Mariko Clark’s young daughter was the catalyst for her journey investigating the various kinds of Bible storybooks available to children and their lack of inclusivity. After looking at the top eight Bible storybooks on the market in 2020, Clark found that only 7% of stories had a female main character. With the collaboration of talented illustrator Rachel Eleanor, what started as a book for her daughter turned into a story Bible for everyone.

The Book of Belonging launched as a Kickstarter in the fall of 2021, but work on the stories began over a year prior when Clark started researching and writing stories. Nearly four years later, the Book of Belonging is home to forty-two stories from both the Old and New Testaments, adapted for readers aged 7-10. 

I had the opportunity to interview author Mariko Clark ahead of the book’s release from Clark’s home in Indianapolis, where she and her family attend St. Luke’s UMC. Read on to hear more about the book, Clark’s journey to answer God’s call, and the team behind the stories.

Why Me?

When asked why Clark, an author but not necessarily a Biblical scholar, felt called to reimagine a children’s story Bible, she spoke to her identity and experience as one that would have benefitted from these stories. “I’m aware of what it’s like to be told ‘you have no place at this table,’ and then to do the work of taking that place anyway. It requires something of you. But you also have to have this really trusting and experiential relationship with God because of it.” She also shared about studying Moses’ conversation with God in Exodus at the burning bush during her time of discernment. Clark was working on a podcast about the story, and the scripture resonated with her at that moment – “God says, “I’ll be with you,” and that hit home for me.”

A Collaborative Venture

Clark and illustrator Rachel Eleanor worked to create sample stories and launch the successful Kickstarter campaign. Once the project was underway, they brought in outside experts to fill those knowledge gaps. Elle Grover Fricks served as the Hebrew language expert, suggesting “including the Hebrew and Greek names, not the Anglicized ones.” This led to using Paulos instead of Paul, for example. Many of the stories have explanations about variations in character’s names before they start. Dr. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw served as a New Testament consultant, providing substantive insight and helping the Book of Belonging maintain biblical integrity.

Experts were needed for more than just the Bible piece, though. “If we’re going to use words like diversity and inclusion and representation and belonging, we have to have that in every facet of the book.” So, Clark also consulted with scholars on womanist theology, disability theology, and queer theology, including Rev. Dr. Courtney Buggs and Michelle Eastman. Contributions from these scholars “made the book exponentially richer and better, and it has made me realize how Christianity is made richer and better by the contributions of people in communities that these scholars represent for us.”

Of the writing process, Clark said “I had to unlearn what I thought I thought I knew. I had to learn something new. I had to learn it inside out, upside down, just so then I could shrink it down to kid language and tell it in a way that wasn’t overwhelming or traumatic.” Illustrator Rachel Eleanor was integral in this alteration process as well.

Clark shared about trying to write the story of Sarah, Abraham, and Hagar: “I was just struggling with how to engage in this story in a restorative way, in a way that tells what happened and doesn’t erase Hagar. I just couldn’t find the words for it.”  Eleanor’s illustration evoked the emotions of a difficult relationship through a “picture where Sarah is stirring this pot of food, and there’s this cloud of steam coming out of the food, and in the steam cloud, there’s scenes from their relationship.”

Inspired Storytelling

When asked about the story that’s her favorite, Clark shares it’s the story that started it all: “Five Fearless Sisters” – available as a sample chapter on their website. “Once I read it, I was just flabbergasted that no one has done anything with this story…it has the cadence of a children’s story where there’s this crisis and then this problem. This scrappy group of kids get together, and then they go up against the man and get what they needed all along.”

In addition to twenty stories from the Old Testament and twenty-two stories from the New Testament, “wonder and mindful moments” are included, inviting readers to become comfortable with mystery and embodied reflection.

At the heart of the project is a story Bible for Clark’s daughter, who originally asked the question. Clark now has three children, including a second daughter and a son. She says that as she’s grown as a parent, the Book of Belonging has become even more important: “This isn’t just for my daughters, or for my son, but it’s for all of our kids. They all need to have this message of when it comes to the love of God, everyone belongs, and that should be second nature to them.”

The Book of Belonging is available now from Convergent Books: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/720477/the-book-of-belonging-by-mariko-clark-illustrated-by-rachel-eleanor/
A sample story, “Five Fearless Sisters,” is available on their website: https://www.thebookofbelonging.com/
The Book of Belonging is also on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookofbelonging/