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Margaret Marshall Saunders




Born in the village of Milton , Queens County , Nova Scotia , the daughter of a Baptist minister, she is most famous for her novel '' Beautiful Joe ''. It is a story narrated by a dog who has had a difficult puppy hood with many obstacles including a cruel owner. When the book was published in 1894 , both it and its subject received worldwide attention. It was the first Canadian book to sell over a million copies, and by the late 1930s had sold over seven million copies worldwide.

In 1934, Saunders was made a Commander Of The British Empire (C.B.E.), at the time her country's highest civilian honor. Together with fellow Canadian author, Lucy Maud Montgomery , Saunders co-founded the Maritime branch of the Canadian Women's Press Club.

Following the success of ''Beautiful Joe'', Saunders wrote more than twenty other stories, a number of which provided Social Commentary on such things as the abolition of Child Labor , Slum Clearance , and the improvement of Playground facilities.

Saunders died in 1947 in Toronto, Ontario where she had lived for a number of years.


BIBLIOGRAPHY



EXTERNAL LINKS



Beautiful Joe Website - Meaford, Ontario, Canada
The Beautiful Joe™ Heritage Society was formed in 1994 to celebrate the life and story of Beautiful Joe™ and the achievements of Margaret Marshall Saunders. Beautiful Joe Website & Park in Meaford, Ontario, Canada {Link without Title}