Because of Winn-Dixie

Summary: In this novel, a girl named Opal faced several problems within the story. Her mother left her father when she was three which caused her father, a preacher, to move them to a trailer park in Florida. Her mother was an alcoholic. She misses her mother and does not have a strong relationship with her father. She does not have any friends, which changes after her dad allows her to adopt a stray dog. She does not have a strong relationship with her father, but she and her father grow closer as the story progresses. In result of Winn-Dixie entering her life, Opal’s compassion for others shines through in the end of the story as those around her come together.

Bib Info: DiCamillo, Kate. (2000). Because of Winn-Dixie. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Interest Level: 3-6

Impression: In this realistic fiction story, the gathering at the end wasn’t realistic in that everyone invited to the party were her friends like the librarian and Otis who was once in jail and Gloria (the woman people called the witch lady). It was realistic in the sense that some students may adopt a stray dog, lives in a single parent household, or may struggle with friends. These are things that a student might be able to identify with.

Reviews and Awards: ALA Notable Children's Books 2001, Newbery Honor 2001, Book Links 03/01/07, Publishers Weekly starred 02/21/00, Booklist 03/15/01, School Library Journal starred 06/01/00, Choice 01/01/01, Wilson's Children 10/01/10, Kirkus Reviews starred 04/01/00, Wilson's Junior High School 01/09/10, New York Times 05/14/00

Reviews: The quick beginning, an essential feature of well-written children's books, carries Because of Winn-Dixie forward quite effectively. The stage is set in the first sentence: "My name is India Opal Buloni, and last summer my daddy, the preacher, sent me to the store for a box of macaroni-and-cheese, some white rice, and two tomatoes, and I came back with a dog." Ten-year-old Opal then proceeds to tell the funny story of a stray dog found in the produce department of the Winn-Dixie grocery store, where she calls him as if he were her own in order to save him from the pound. Because of Winn-Dixie is indeed a dog story, but it is also the story of a child, lonely yet resourceful, who has just recently moved to Naomi, Florida, with her father. It is the story of a motherless child, who longs for the love and comfort that a mother could provide. It is the story of a character finding her way in the world, a character seemingly tentative, yet as starkly defined as her red hair and the big, ugly, smiling stray dog she takes home, washes, and makes her own. And it is the story of Opal's developing friendships with distinctive, well-drawn characters—old Gloria Dump, who is almost blind; the librarian, Miss Franny Block; shy Otis at the pet store—encounters made possible, one way or another, because of the dog, Winn-Dixie. In twenty-six short chapters, DiCamillo has crafted a fine, economical story told in the authentic voice of a child, using regional language and vivid description in a clear, straightforward way. There is immediacy of feeling in this book, perfectly expressing the secret inner life that every child knows. Because of her resourcefulness, demonstrated in the openingchapter and throughout the book at every turn, Opal develops and grows as a character, in both her inner and her outer life. All of this is accomplished through a story worth telling. Children will enjoy Opal's abiding humor and Winn-Dixie's disarming and endearing ways, and the funny and important things that happen when the two of them get together. 2000, Candlewick, $15.99. Ages 9 to 12.
Cerra, K.K. [Review of the book Because of Winn-Dixie by K. Dicamillo]. (2000, November/December). The Five Owls, 15, 2. Retrieved from: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

Imagine naming a dog "Winn-Dixie" after the grocery store. Your own name causes kids to mock you "Lunch Meat!" That partly describes India Opal Buloni, a preacher's daughter, who tells us about her first summer in Naomi, Florida. Opal adopts the lovable, mangy dog whose personality changes her life and the lives of the quirky characters in this rural community. The kids think Gloria Dump is a witch but Opal discovers a kind, wrinkled old lady with bad eyesight who wins her friendship when she says, "Since I don't see so well, why don't you tell me everything about yourself so I can see you with my heart." Opal couldn't be happier. "I'd been waiting for a long time to tell some person everything about me, I did." A splendid story with heart, humor and hope. This is Newbery quality. Lieberman, J. [Review of the book Because of Winn-Dixie, by K. DiCamillo]. (n.d.). Children’s Literature. Retrieved from: http://www.childrenslit.com/

Use in library setting: The librarian in the book mistakes Winn-Dixie for a bear instead of a dog. Students can write about what kind of animal the librarian mistook Winn-Dixie for. Afterward, the students can compare and contrast the two animals. The students can then share their ideas in a whole group or small group.