Published by Harvest Kids on June 3, 2025
Genres: Children's, Children's Educational
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
Middle-grade readers will be inspired by the true story of gifted artist, author, and disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, and learn that God can use them to achieve amazing things.
Joni Eareckson Tada was an adventurous, fun-loving girl until a diving accident changed her life forever. Instantly, Joni was a quadriplegic at the age of 17. However, that didn’t stop her from becoming an accomplished artist, author, and advocate—not just for those with disabilities but for all people seeking a relationship with God.
This uplifting story explores how the Lord used Joni’s disability to help others and spread the good news of the gospel through her paintings, books, and ministry. Now Joni wants to pass her legacy on to the next generation, empowering all children with the hopeful message that God can use them to do incredible things too!
This picture book biography about Joni Eareckson Tada shares her inspiring Christian testimony. The story begins with her happy and physically active childhood, and then covers the tragic diving accident that paralyzed her from the shoulders down. This tragedy and the illustrated scenes in the hospital may be scary for the youngest or most sensitive readers, but the book presents all of this in an age-appropriate way, and then explores what the recovery process was like for Joni. A Paintbrush for Joni shows how she dealt with questions and doubts about her faith, and includes Bible verses that she found encouraging.
From there, readers will learn about Joni’s development as an artist, her growing faith, and her public ministry. The book covers Joni’s accomplishments through the 1979 founding of Joni and Friends, her ministry to people with disabilities and their families. Then the book ends with a message of Christian hope, as Joni looks forward to complete healing in heaven, and to being in the presence of Jesus. After that, there is a discussion guide for parents and kids, as well as a page with photos of Joni from throughout her life.
Personally, I wish that this had been longer and covered more details about Joni’s life, instead of cutting off at the end of seventies. Since the publisher is recommending this for ages eight to twelve, this could have been more than forty-eight pages long, and could have covered a lot more. However, the brevity can make this appealing for reluctant readers, and makes this short enough for a teacher to read aloud in a church classroom context. This book is also suitable for many kids who are younger than eight, especially if they are reading it with a parent.
Author John Greco, who works with Joni and Friends, did a great job of writing A Paintbrush for Joni in a way that is age-appropriate for kids. He covers key biographical details in a truthful way while also sidestepping some of the darker aspects of Joni’s experience, which readers can learn about when they’re older. The illustrations from Amélie Videlo also portray what’s happening without getting too intense, and the pictures help convey Joni’s journey, especially as she learned how to do things in an unconventional way, such as painting with a paintbrush in her mouth. The illustrations add a lot to this book, and I also appreciate how accurate they are to the late 1960s and 1970s era.
A Paintbrush for Joni: The True Story of Joni Eareckson Tada and the Savior Who Turns Tragedy into Joy is an inspiring picture book biography about a well-known, beloved figure in Christian culture. Adults who appreciate Joni’s testimony and ministry will enjoy introducing her story to the children in their lives, and kids who are going through hardships can relate to Joni and find her story encouraging, seeing that they can also find purpose and joy in life in spite of their challenges.