This is a beautiful piece of children's fiction and a true story that resonates through the ages. It teaches compassion for everyone, like us or different, and contains deep messages underneath the touching story on the surface.<br><br>It covers the story of an abused dog, Beautiful Joe, and is told from his point of view as he is rescued from an abusive owner and the life he has with the kind family who take him in. As the author writes:<br><br>Beautiful Joe is a real dog, and Beautiful Joe is his real name. He belonged during the first part of his life to a cruel master, who mutilated him in the manner described in the story. He was rescued from him, and is now living in a happy home with pleasant surroundings, and enjoys a wide local celebrity. The character of Laura is drawn from life, and to the smallest detail is truthfully depicted. The Morris family has its counterparts in real life, and nearly all of the incidents of the story are founded on fact.