Browne has worked as a school teacher and a youth worker before becoming a full-time writer and illustrator.
Browne's books have been praised by Early Childhood Review for including diverse characters and properly presenting different cultures, such as Kenyan life in Handa's Surprise.
[1] The Guardian also recognized Handa's Surprise as one of the "50 best culturally diverse children's books.
"[2] Handa's Surprise is also noted for the use of illustrations to provide the reader with information the main character doesn't have.
"[7] Browne has related that she was first interested in exploring diversity in the 1980s when she lived in the Finsbury Park area of London.