This is the 1st book I EVER read when I was eight years old. It touched me so deeply that I still remember many years later. I truly fell "in love" with my Beautiful Joe. My then very innocent mind was so hurt and appalled at the capacity for human cruelty! At the end of the book, I cried and cried because I JUST DIDN'T WANT THE BOOK TO END!!! I had grown that attached to my beautiful Joe. He had truly become "my dog", and I couldn't bear the thought of saying goodbye to him. I wish I could have met Marshall Saunders, the beautiful lady that wrote this book, but I wish I could have met "Beautiful Joe" even more!!!