Module 7: Because of Winn-Dixie

Book Summary:  Opal, who is ten years old and the daughter of a pastor, comes home with a stray dog which she names Winn-Dixie.  At this time many things began to change in the town of Naomi.  Winn-Dixie and Opal make friends with many people that are outcasts in the town.  The theme that revolves around these friendships is not to judge people, but to accept them for who they are.  Opal has to apply this to her own mother, who had abandoned her. 

My Impressions: This book can make you laugh and bring tears to your eyes in the very real storyline.  It is a very deserving winner of the Newbery Honor award.  The theme is something that we frequently need to revisit with this generation and manages to get that point across very clearly. 

Professional Review:  "He was a big dog. And Ugly. And he looked like he was having a read good time. His tongue was hanging out and he was wagging his tail. He skidded to a stop and smiled right at me. I had never in my life seen a dog smile, but that was what he did. He pulled back his lips and showed me his teeth. Then he wagged his tail so hard that he knocked some oranges off a display, and they went rolling everywhere, mixing in with the tomatoes and onions and green peppers."
Because of Winn-Dixie, 8
And, that is just how ten-year old India Opal Buloni meets this dog for the first time in a Naples, Florida, supermarket -- a dog who will change her life forever. Because of Winn-Dixie is a heartwarming and unforgettable story of family, friendship, feelings, change, summertime, the South, and, of course, a very special dog.
Published in 2000 and written by Kate Dicamillo, Because of Winn-Dixie was named a 2001 Newbery Honor Book for distinguished writing (Candlewick Press, 184p. ISBN 0763607762). Many techniques to connect with this outstanding book for young people follow.

Library Uses:  This book could be used in a variety of ways in the library setting;

·       Discussions about the writer’s craft and DiCamillo’s use of vivid language including similes and the images they evoke.

·       Character sketches to display in the library could be made by dividing the class and having them choose different characters within the book.

·       As a group or individually letters could be written to Opal’s mother describing all that had happened throughout the summer “Because of Winn-Dixie.”

DiCamillo, K. (2000).  Because of Winn-Dixie. Somerville,

          Massachusettts, Candlewick Press.

Brodie, C.S.  (2007, March) Book Review for Because of Winn-Dixie.
     Review of the book Because of Winn-Dixie by K. DiCamillo]. 
     School Library Media Activities Monthly23 (7), p55-56.