Tilda Jane is a rambunctious orphan in search of a home, fleeing the orphanage that won't allow her to keep her rescued dog. Her independence and strong will bring her trouble and adventures that straddle the Canadian-American border. Ultimately, she arrives in Ciscasset, Maine, to work for the elderly, irritable Hank Dillson.

Tilda Jane is a compelling story of self-discovery by Marshall Saunders, an author renowned for her commitment to a better life for children and animals. Published before L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, these fictional orphans are both on a quest to find a home.

MARGARET MARSHALL SAUNDERS was descended on both sides of her family from New England Planters who had immigrated to Nova Scotia in the 1760s. A native of Halifax, she campaigned for humane treatment of animals, and integrated into her famous novel Beautiful Joe her criticism of the careless exploitation of natural resources, as well as ideas on education and the upbringing of children.

Margaret Marshall Saunders' profile page

Born in Montreal, Carole Gerson is a professor in the English Department at Simon Fraser University. Her research on Canadian literary and publishing history and on early Canadian women writers has resulted in many publications, including two books on Pauline Johnson. She was a member of the editorial team for the major three-volume project History of the Book in Canada, for which she co-edited volume 3, covering the period 1918–1980.

Carole Gerson's profile page