Plot: The summer India Opal moves is hard. She cannot make friends. Her father is busy with the church. She misses her mother more than ever. Then, she meets a dog. Or, rather, a dog meets her after wrecking the local grocery store. After convincing her father the dog needs them, Winn-Dixie, named after the store she ruined, begins to change Opal's life. The dog's ability to welcome and comfort people allows Opal to meet people as lonely as she is. Together, they learn to live with the sweet and sad parts of life.
Genre: Animals, Coming of Age
Reading Level: Age 9-12
Similar Titles: Shiloh, Misty of Chincoteague
Personal Thoughts: A Newbery Honor book that deserves the reward. I really enjoyed the book and its portrayal of growing up with flawed, quirky, and lonely people (and dogs). However, I do not think I would have liked it as a tween. True, the story has a happy ending. Opal and her father make friends of the friendless in their town. The story also carries many depressing elements, such as death, loneliness, abandonment, and injustice. As a tween, I doubt the sweet ending would justify the sad story.
The book provided the basis of a movie in 2005. While some enjoy the acting of the dog, most find the movie a bit unoriginal and boring.
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