An inspiring story of the joys of self-expression, quirky and artistic Joan harnesses the power of friendship and the bravery of her namesake, Joan of Arc, to embrace her own creativity.

What do an ancient teenage warrior and a modern-day aspiring elementary school artist have in common? Nine-year-old Joan is about to find out. In this empowering tale of friendship and self-affirmation, a young girl dreams of being an artist, but struggles to find the courage to share her dreams with others. Joan is so afraid to be laughed at or misunderstood that her friends have never even seen her drawings! But when a school assignment unveils the remarkable accomplishments of her medieval namesake, Saint Joan of Arc, young Joan must grapple with what it means to be brave, even if that means finding the courage to be yourself.

Lovingly rendered with lush illustrations and tender prose, readers young and old will be rooting for Joan to find her way. "Exactly the kind of story that kids need," writes best-selling author Brian McLaren. "This could be one of those precious few books that parents read to their kids for generations to come."

Lesa Engelthaler is a speaker and author who has written for publications such as as The Dallas Morning News and Christianity Today. Passionate about empowerment, for over 10 years she has collaborated with House of Hope to help women and girls in difficult situations overcome adversity. Lesa earned a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies from Columbia International University, and is Senior Associate for Victory Search Group, where she assists nonprofits to recruit transformation leaders. She serves on the Economic Security Grants Review Committee for the Texas Women's Foundation, and lives in Dallas, Texas.