He studied to become aJesuitpriest, but decided he would rather work with children after having jobs atorphanages and daycarecentres. In 1973, he received aMaster of Education in Child Studies from Tufts University. In 1975, he moved to Canada to work at the preschool at theUniversity of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario.[2] He also taught in the College of Family and Consumer Studies at the University of Guelph as a lecturer and as an assistant professor. In Guelph, he was encouraged to publish the many stories he made up for the children he worked with.
One of Munsch's best-known books, Love You Forever, was listed fourth on the 2001 Publishers Weekly All-Time Bestselling Children's Books list for paperbacks at 6.97 million copies (not including the 1.049 million hardcover copies).[3] It has since sold more than 30 million copies and has been featured on the episode "The One With the Cake" from the television showFriends, as well as being mentioned by Oprah Winfrey on Late Night with David Letterman as being her favorite children's book. His other famous book The Paper Bag Princess has sold more than seven million copies and is considered to be a feminist story, as well as a literary classic.[4][5]
Munsch and his wife Ann discovered they couldn't have biological children after two pregnancies ended with still-birth.[6]They have three children via adoption.[7]
