Because+of+Winn-Dixie

Reading level: grades 4+ Hardcover, 182 pages Publisher: Candlewick Press Hardcover $11.99 Language: English ISBN- 9780763644321
 * Because of Winn-Dixie **
 * Biographical Data: **

Kate was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, raised in Clermont, Florida, and currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She writes for both children and adults and likes to think of herself as a storyteller. Kate is single and childless, but has lots of friends and is an aunt to three lovely children (Luke, Roxanne, and Max) and one not so lovely dog (Henry). She thinks of herself as an enormously lucky person: she gets to tell stories for a living.
 * Author Biography: **

The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket and comes out with a dog. A big, ugly, suffering dog with a sterling sense of humor. A dog she dubs Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie, the preacher tells Opal ten things about her absent mother, one for each year Opal has been alive. Winn-Dixie is better at making friends than anyone Opal has ever known, and together they meet the local librarian, Miss Franny Block, who once fought off a bear with a copy of WAR AND PEACE. They meet Gloria Dump, who is nearly blind but sees with her heart, and Otis, an ex-con who sets the animals in his pet shop loose after hours, then lulls them with his guitar.
 * Summary: **

Opal spends all that sweet summer collecting stories about her new friends and thinking about her mother. But because of Winn-Dixie or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship and forgiveness can sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm.

Although she lives in the Friendly Corners Trailer Park, ten-year-old Opal has no friends. She and her preacher father have moved to Naomi Florida for her father's new job. Here, on an errand to the local grocery store, Opal acquires a unique friend, a large brown stray that she names for the store Winn-Dixie. The dog proves to have exquisite taste in people; Winn- Dixie charms his way into everyone's heart. A totally lovable dog and likable characters are part of this humorously gentle, warm, enthralling story about all sorts of friendships. The writing is clear, simple and high quality. It is the perfect book about a strange yet, close friendship.
 * Review: **

By reading this book to my future classroom, the students can learn the importance of friendship. It also shows traits of how important it is that even the most odd of people-or dog- can become friends and how there is nothing that can separate the two. For my students I can use this as a base for them to really think about what it is in a friend that they would like and then think about their current friends and compare what they want and what they have to see if that is really what they follow. I’d like for my students to use this great book as an example of how friendships can happen when you least expect them. This is a wonderful book to share with the older students; they will gain more and learn more about friendships.
 * Analysis of Literary elements: **