Because of Winn-Dixie

DiCamillo, Kate. Candlewick Press (August 6, 2001).
*Appropriate for grades 3-6*

Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni is feeling lonely. She's moved with her father, the preacher, to Naomi, Florida- and all of her friends have been left behind. One day, Opal is shopping for groceries at the Winn-Dixie when she notices a stray dog who has slipped inside. Havoc ensues, and Opal saves the dog (and the store owner) by taking him home. He's a stinky, scruffy dog who loves to smile, and he is named after the place in which he was found. Winn-Dixie has a special talent for making friends. This story recounts all of the good things that happen to Opal because of her big, ugly, loveable dog.

• Friendship is an important theme throughout this book. You might have a class discussion about the qualities of a true friend, and then ask students to create a written response in any form (poetry, news articles, short stories, etc).
  
• Winn-Dixie is a constant companion to Opal, and this might raise the question, "What was Winn-Dixie thinking?". Students might retell a part of the story from the dog's perspective.
  
• When Opal loses Winn-Dixie, she imagines 10 characteristics about him that she could display on posters around town. Students might choose a favorite character from their just-right reading and create a 10 characteristic poster for him/her.
  
• Opal struggles with the fact that her mother has left her. This is a good book for students to read if they are dealing with similar issues in their lives.