book report on because of winn dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie

70 pages • 2 hours read

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-4

Chapters 5-8

Chapters 9-12

Chapters 13-17

Chapters 18-21

Chapters 22-26

Character Analysis

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Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Summary and Study Guide

Because of Winn-Dixie is a middle-grade novel by Kate DiCamillo published in 2000 by Candlewick Books. It follows main character Opal as she learns to love her new home in Naomi, Florida with the help of a stray dog named Winn-Dixie . Steeped in the traditions of Southern literature, the book won a Newbery Honor and a Parents’ Choice Gold Award, among other awards. 

Note on Edition: This guide uses the 2000 edition published by Candlewick Books, in which DiCamillo depicts Opal reading Gone with the Wind to Gloria. In her 2020 Anniversary edition, she changed this book to David Copperfield because of Gone with the Wind ’s romanticization of the South and the system of slavery. Ann Patchett notes in the Introduction to the 2020 edition: “Years later, Kate DiCamillo started to think more critically about Gone with the Wind —about its biases and prejudice—and she regretted that she had not given Opal and Gloria Dump a different book to share. She thought, ‘It’s time for things to change’” (DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie . Candlewick Press, 2020).

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Plot Summary

Because of Winn-Dixie opens with Opal adopting Winn-Dixie, the dog that will shape the rest of the book. Opal goes to the Winn-Dixie grocery store for some groceries and discovers a dog running through the aisles. The manager threatens to call the pound, and Opal feels bad for the dog—she claims him, names him after the grocery store, and takes him home to the trailer park where she lives with her father, whom she calls “the preacher.”

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Opal is struggling with life in the trailer park. Opal’s mother left when she was a baby, and the preacher rarely talks about her. Opal had to leave her friends behind when they left their old town of Whately, and now she is especially lonely. Early in the novel, the preacher tells Opal 10 things about her mother, and Opal thinks of her mother often throughout the book, clinging to these memories. The preacher also tells Opal that her mother left because she could not stop drinking, and it was causing problems in their marriage.

Opal is lonely at first, but soon she begins to make some friends. She befriends Miss Franny Block , the librarian, after Miss Franny mistakes Winn-Dixie for a bear she met many decades before. Opal also befriends Gloria Dump, a blind older woman who feeds Winn-Dixie peanut butter, and Otis , a musician who works at Gertrude’s Pets. Opal gets a job sweeping the floors at the pet store to pay for a collar and leash for Winn-Dixie.

As the novel progresses, Opal learns a lot about her own pain, and the pain of others. She becomes more empathetic for the children her own age in Naomi, especially Amanda Wilkinson , whose younger brother drowned the year before. Opal becomes forgiving of her mother’s drinking when she discovers Gloria Dump’s mistake tree , full of whiskey bottles she emptied before she stopped drinking. At the end of the novel, Opal throws a party to celebrate her new friends and help everyone feel happy. Winn-Dixie gets lost during a surprise thunderstorm at the party, but Otis saves the day when his beautiful music coaxes Winn-Dixie out of his hiding spot. After the storm, Opal visits the mistake tree to talk to her mother, saying that she is happy with the preacher, and that she will not miss her mother so much anymore.

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Because of Winn-Dixie

Candlewick Press, March 2000 Ages 9-12 ISBN 978-1-5362-1434-5

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 Peac e. 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. 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.

Awards and Honors

• Newbery Honor Book
• ABC Children’s Choice Award
• Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award
• ALSC Notable Children’s Book
• Arizona Grand Canyon Young Reader Award, Intermediate
• Arkansas Charlie May Simon Award
• Bank Street College Josette Frank Award for Fiction
• Book Sense 76 selection
• Book Sense Best Book
• Book Sense Book of the Year
• Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon
• California Young Reader Medal
• Children’s Book Councils’ Not Just for Children Anymore!
• Children’s Librarians of Dover, NH Cochecho Readers’ Award
• Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award
• Colorado Children’s Book Award
• Connecticut Nutmeg Children’s Book Award
• Delaware Library Association Blue Hen Award
• Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award
• Hawaii Nene Award
• Illinois School Library Media Association Bluestem Award
• Indiana Young Hoosier Award
• International Literacy Association Young Adults’ Choices Reading List
• Iowa Children’s Choice Award
• Judy Lopez Memorial Awards for Children’s Literature
• Kentucky Bluegrass Award
• Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award Honor Book
• Maine Student Book Award
• Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
• Maryland Children’s Book Award
• Massachusetts Children’s Book Award
• Michigan Mitten Book Award
• Missouri Association of School Librarians Truman Readers Award
• National Association for Humane and Environmental Education KIND Children’s Book Award
• Nebraska Golden Sower Award
• Nevada Young Readers’ Award
• New Hampshire Great Stone Face Children’s Book Award
• New Jersey Library Association Garden State Children’s Book Award
• New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award
• New York Library Association 3 Apples Book Award
• New York Public Library Best 100 Books for Reading and Sharing
• New York State Reading Association Charlotte Award
• Ohio Buckeye Children’s Book Award
• Oklahoma Sequoyah Children’s Book Award
• Oklahoma State Children’s Sequoyah Award
• Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader’s Choice Award in the Junior Division
• Parents’ Choice Award
• Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards
• Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year
• Rhode Island Children’s Book Award
• Riverbank Review Children’s Books of Distinction
• School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
• Smithsonian Magazine’s Notable Books for Children
• South Carolina Children’s Book Award
• South Dakota Library Associations Prairie Pasque Book Award
• Southeast Booksellers Association Best Book of the Year
• Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award
• Texas Bluebonnet Master List
• Vermont Department of Libraries Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award
• Virginia State Reading Association’s Young Readers Award
• Voice of Youth Advocates Award
• Washington Reading Association Sasquatch Reading Award
• Washington State Book Award
• West Virginia Children’s Choice Book Award
• William Allen White Children’s Book Award
• Wisconsin Golden Archer Book Award

Read the Reviews

India Opal Buloni, 10, finds a big, ugly, funny dog in the produce department of a Winn-Dixie grocery store. She names him accordingly and takes him home to meet her father, a preacher. Her daddy has always told her to help those less fortunate, and surely Winn-Dixie is in need of a friend. Opal needs one, too. Since moving to Naomi, FL, she has been lonely and has been missing her mother more than usual. When she asks her father to tell her 10 things about her mother, who left the family when Opal was three, she learns that they both have red hair, freckles, and swift running ability. And, like her mother, Opal likes stories. She collects tales to tell her mother, hoping that she’ll have a chance to share them with her one day. These stories are lovingly offered one after another as rare and polished gems and are sure to touch readers’ hearts. They are told in the voice of this likable Southern girl as she relates her day-to-day adventures in her new town with her beloved dog. Do libraries need another girl-and-her-dog story? Absolutely, if the protagonist is as spirited and endearing as Opal and the dog as lovable and charming as Winn-Dixie. This well-crafted, realistic, and heartwarming story will be read and reread as a new favorite deserving a long-term place on library shelves. ( School Library Journal , starred review)

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. ( Parents Choice Gold Award Winner )

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Because of Winn-Dixie

Kate dicamillo.

182 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2000

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Because of Winn-Dixie

By kate dicamillo.

• Because of Winn-Dixie Summary

India Opal Buloni was picking up a few groceries from a Winn-Dixie grocery store when she saw the store manager chasing an apparently stray dog around the produce department. Opal (as she is known) overhears him asking someone to call the pound, and, unable to stand the idea of such a smiley, friendly dog being taken there, Opal claims the dog as hers. Opal calls the stray Winn-Dixie—the name of the supermarket she is standing in—and takes him home to Friendly Corners Trailer Park. She asks her father, the local preacher, if she can keep the dog. He tells her that she doesn't need a dog, and Opal responds that the dog needs her. When she whistles for him to come in, he does so. His ribs are visible, his fur is matted and he even has some bald patches. The preacher realizes this is a dog in need, and tells Winn-Dixie that he has found a home. So begins a relationship between a dog and a girl that changes both of their lives. Opal and her father begin to bring Winn-Dixie wherever they go. As if he knows that his young friend is lonely, Winn-Dixie keeps acting up and running off, but each time he forces Opal to meet somebody new. She runs around town chasing him, making friends with unexpected people—including a few adults—who have been overlooked by the rest of society, all thanks to the dog's mischievous antics.

Written for a young audience, Because of Winn-Dixie addresses the innate and simple feeling of loneliness in a way that kids can easily interpret. Opal is the touchstone for the readers, the character with whom the audience should identify. By saving Winn-Dixie's life, Opal makes her first "friend." From there, Winn-Dixie leads Opal to people who are also lonely and misunderstood, with whom Opal could be friends. Her irresistible personality does the rest. These former misfits form their own family, at which point Winn-Dixie is no longer needed; his young charge is now in the emotional care of other people.

The beauty of the story lies both in the girl who refuses to be angry at people for not loving her, and in the diverse group of people she befriends. As Opal talks with these misfits, she listens to their stories. Each one is suffering from a particular brand of loneliness, whether due to age or rumors or social anxiety, etc. Opal's eagerness to get to know them allows each of these people to be vulnerable about why they don't talk to other people. Mistakes, anger, and tragedy all surface in the lives of these various people. Winn-Dixie is the thread that connects each of them to Opal because they can all recognize the innocence and devotion of the pup. They meet him first, but they fall in love with both girl and dog. In this way, DiCamillo tells kids that loneliness is just an opportunity to listen to others. Through Opal's story, she encourages kids who are lonely to look for others instead of focusing inward.

Because of Winn-Dixie Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Because of Winn-Dixie is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How did Opal come across a dog named Winn Dixie?

In the opening chapter, India Opal Buloni, the ten-year-old protagonist of Because of Winn-Dixie, meets her future pet at a Winn-Dixie grocery store. The dog, clearly a stray, has wandered into the store and infuriated the store manager, who waves...

Does Anyone know anything about Opal

You can check out the characters below:

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Because of Winn-Dixie Chapters 5 and 6

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Study Guide for Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie study guide contains a biography of Kate DiCamillo, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Because of Winn-Dixie
• Character List

Lesson Plan for Because of Winn-Dixie

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Because of Winn-Dixie
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Because of Winn-Dixie Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Because of Winn-Dixie

• Introduction
• Musical adaptation

Because of Winn-Dixie

by Kate DiCamillo, and published by Candlewick Press

When a stray dog appears almost magically in the midst of the produce section of the Winn-Dixie grocery store, he leads ten-year-old India Opal Buloni from one new friend to the next in a small Florida town. The stories she gathers from each new friend help her to piece together a new definition of family. "This humorous and touching first novel is as flavorful as the lozenges once made in town by Littmus W. Block, that taste sweet and sad at the same time," said Parr.

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Because of Winn-Dixie

By kate dicamillo.

‘Because of Winn-Dixie’ is a thriller belonging to the middle grade and packed with self-help lessons for defeating nostalgia and unsociability - for a chance to fully appreciate and be happy with life as it is.

Article written by Victor Onuorah

Degree in Journalism from University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

With ‘ Because of Winn-Dixie ’, readers will find how much of futility it is to hold onto the past and not let go of it. Opal doesn’t enjoy her life – and by extension fails to appreciate the few people and little things around her – because she’s rooting to catch up with a happy past. Thankfully, Winn-Dixie comes along and shows her how to move on.

A Delightful Story of Friendship Found in Unlikely Places

Kate DiCamillo’s bestseller ‘ Because of Winn-Dixie’ is one book that shows the reader how even the most unlikely things can happen when they are less likely to happen.

The reader sees that Opal, despite her lovable and amiable personality, has something going on that greatly troubles her mind and that is her need for a companion. She has just recently moved into a new city with her father the preacher, so it’s normal for anyone to find it hard to make friends for the next couple of days maybe even months – but this so happens quicker than Opal expected.

She goes out to the supermarket on an errand for her father and surprisingly returns home with a big, mangy dog along with groceries. This dog, which she names Winn-Dixie, becomes the unlikely animal friend which connects the dots for all the other unlikely future friends and happiness which Opal goes on to enjoy.

Fast-paced, Poignant, and a Little Lacking in Depth

The story starts really quickly and gets interesting fast. Opal is 11 years old, but she immediately throws us back into her past of last summer when she was 10 years old. Personally, I think why Kate DiCamillo got the book so fast-paced was because she intended for it to be quite a small one, so there aren’t many pages to sleep on and lag.

Reading the book, I thought this might come off as maybe the only downside to the book. Yes, the story is great and each scene is filled with captivating suspense, but I thought there isn’t enough time or depth created for each suspense so they just come and go in a sort of jiffy fashion – preventing the reader to have an extended moment with it.

Letting Go, a Vital Key to True Happiness

Opal is a happy girl, but you could feel she doesn’t quite explore the depth of her happiness due to a few situations she’s putting up with. First, she’s just moved into a new city with her father, the preacher, apparently leaving her old friends behind. And as someone who has moved before I could understand how hard it gets to settle or even make new friends when you’re new in town.

Second, she still holds onto the hope of mama, her mother, coming back home to her and the preacher. Although thinking about mama gets her excited, it indirectly also saps her joy and energy afterward that she has none left to spend on real people around her.

When Winn-Dixie comes along, he teaches Opal the first lessons about letting go and making new, happy friends. Once she cues into this as a lifestyle, she is able to unlock her greatest happiness, but that comes with a sacrifice of letting go of mama and thoughts concerning her.

There’s a Sweet Feeling When Bitter Experiences are Shared

Everyone has a sad past or something that greatly disturbs them when it comes to mind, and there’s no difference between the characters that Kate DiCamillo created for ‘ Because of Winn-Dixie’ . It’s interesting, however, to see a bit of magic in play regarding how the characters’ sad past is unexpectedly stirred up by a sweet taste of candy.

Old Miss Franny Block tells a story of how her great grandfather, Littmus Block, founded a candy factory after the civil war because he wanted to make the world a better, sweet place after the devastating effect of the war – which also took the life of all his family members. Littmus set up this candy factory and it started manufacturing a candy called Littmus Lozenges, although made sweet but also with a taste of sadness.

In the book, we see Miss Franny sharing some of the candies with the characters; Opal who takes some to Gloria Dump and her father the preacher; young Amanda who is an ardent visitor of the library; Otis who was in jail – and the others. Despite the sweetness of the candy when eaten, these characters, each, have sad trips down memory lane but are again united by their shared feeling of sadness.

How long does it take the average reader to finish Kate DiCamillo’s ‘ Because of Winn-Dixie ’?

Starting and finishing Kate DiCamillo’s ‘ Because of Winn-Dixie ’ is easy and can typically take a few hours within a day for that to happen.

Why does Littmus Lozenges candy taste sad?

Littmus Lozenges, in the book, are made with sadness as part of its recipe, so when people eat them, they feel the pain of a certain void in their hearts. But the candy is also sweet at the same time.

Is ‘ Because of Winn-Dixie ’ a good read?

‘ Because of Winn-Dixie ’ by Kate DiCamillo is a very interesting book to read and it’s suitable for both children and adults alike.

Because of Winn-Dixie Review

Book Title: Because of Winn-Dixie

Book Description: Kate DiCamillo's 'Because of Winn-Dixie' explores finding joy in simple things through Opal Buloni's heartwarming journey.

Book Author: Kate DiCamillo

Book Edition: First Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Candlewick Press

Date published: March 20, 2000

Illustrator: Mark Buehner

ISBN: 978-0-7636-0758-1

Number Of Pages: 208

Because of Winn-Dixie Review: True Happiness Sometimes Lies In The Smallest, Negligible Things

‘ Because of Winn-Dixie ‘ by Kate DiCamillo reminds the reader how sometimes what holds one’s true happiness isn’t some far away, complicated people or things, but the small, unlikely things around us. DiCamillo drives this message through her main character Opal Buloni, leaving several life lessons with every turn of a page. Written more than twenty years ago – and having won the prestigious Newbury award, the book never gets old, and it’s suitable for both the young and old.

• Captivating story
• Concise and easy to read
• Full of helpful morals and values
• Plot lacks depth
• Refreshes sad wartime memories
• Too many naive characters

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About Victor Onuorah

Victor is as much a prolific writer as he is an avid reader. With a degree in Journalism, he goes around scouring literary storehouses and archives; picking up, dusting the dirt off, and leaving clean even the most crooked pieces of literature all with the skill of analysis.

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Because of Winn-Dixie Paperback – January 26, 2021

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Part of series Because of Winn-Dixie
• Print length 192 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 4 - 7
• Lexile measure 670L
• Dimensions 5.13 x 0.51 x 7.63 inches
• Publisher Candlewick
• Publication date January 26, 2021
• ISBN-10 1536214353
• ISBN-13 978-1536214352
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick; Reprint edition (January 26, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1536214353
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1536214352
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 10 years, from customers
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 670L
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 7
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.13 x 0.51 x 7.63 inches
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About the author

Kate dicamillo.

Kate DiCamillo’s writing journey has been a truly remarkable one. She grew up in Florida and moved to Minnesota in her twenties, when homesickness and a bitter winter led her to write Because of Winn-Dixie — her first published novel, which became a runaway bestseller and snapped up a Newbery Honor. The Tiger Rising, her second novel, was also set in Florida and went on to become a National Book Award finalist. Since then, the best-selling author has explored settings as varied as a medieval castle and a magician’s theater while continuing to enjoy great success, winning two Newbery Medals and being named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. She now has over 40 million books in print worldwide.

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Because of Winn-Dixie

Kate dicamillo, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions, india opal buloni quotes in because of winn-dixie.

My daddy is a good preacher and a nice man, but sometimes it’s hard for me to think about him as my daddy, because he spends so much time preaching or thinking about preaching or getting ready to preach. And so, in my mind, I think of him as “the preacher.”

“He won’t talk to me about her at all. I want to know more about her. But I’m afraid to ask the preacher; I’m afraid he’ll get mad at me.”

Winn-Dixie looked at me hard, like he was trying to say something.

“What?” I said.

He stared at me.

“You think I should make the preacher tell me about her?”

Winn-Dixie looked at me so hard he sneezed.

“I’ll think about it,” I said.

“Number ten,” he said with a long sigh, “number ten, is that your mama loved you. She loved you very much.”

“But she left me,” I told him.

“She left us,” said the preacher softly. I could see him pulling his old turtle head back into his stupid turtle shell. “She packed her bags and left us, and she didn’t leave one thing behind.”

I went right back to my room and wrote down all ten things that the preacher had told me. I wrote them down just the way he said them to me so that I wouldn’t forget them, and then I read them out loud to Winn-Dixie until I had them memorized. I wanted to know those ten things inside and out. That way, if my mama ever came back, I could recognize her, and I would be able to grab her and hold on to her tight and not let her get away from me again.

And none of them wanted to be my friend anyway because they probably thought I’d tell on them to the preacher for every little thing they did wrong; and then they would get in trouble with God and their parents. So I told God that I was lonely, even having Winn-Dixie.

She sighed. “I imagine I’m the only one left from those days. I imagine I’m the only one that even recalls that bear. All my friends, everyone I knew when I was young, they are all dead and gone.”

She sighed again. She looked sad and old and wrinkled. It was the same way I felt sometimes, being friendless in a new town and not having a mama to comfort me. I sighed, too.

All of a sudden, I felt happy. I had a dog. I had a job. I had Miss Franny Block for a friend. And I had my first invitation to a party in Naomi. It didn’t matter that it came from a five-year-old and the party wasn’t until September. I didn’t feel so lonely anymore.

“You know, my eyes ain’t too good at all. I can’t see nothing but the general shape of things, so I got to rely on my heart. Why don’t you go on and tell me everything about yourself, so as I can see you with my heart.”

And the whole time I was talking, Gloria Dump was listening. She was nodding her head and smiling and frowning and saying, “Hmmm,” and “Is that right?”

I could feel her listening with all her heart, and it felt good.

All of a sudden it was hard for me to talk. I loved the preacher so much. I loved him because he loved Winn-Dixie. I loved him because he was going to forgive Winn-Dixie for being afraid. But most of all, I loved him for putting his arm around Winn-Dixie like that, like he was already trying to keep him safe.

I waved at the woman on the porch and she waved back, and I watched Sweetie Pie run off to tell her mama about Otis being a magic man. It made me think about my mama and how I wanted to tell her the story about Otis charming all the animals. I was collecting stories for her.

“Why are all those bottles on it?”

“To keep the ghosts away,” Gloria said.

“What ghosts?”

“The ghosts of all the things I done wrong.”

I looked at all the bottles on the tree. “You did that many things wrong?” I asked her.

“Mmmm-hmmm,” said Gloria. “More than that.”

“But you’re the nicest person I know,” I told her.

“Doesn’t mean I haven’t done bad things,” she said.

I stayed where I was and studied the tree. I wondered if my mama, wherever she was, had a tree full of bottles; and I wondered if I was a ghost to her, the same way she sometimes seemed like a ghost to me.

And I got real good at holding on to Winn-Dixie whenever they came. I held on to him and comforted him and whispered to him and rocked him, just the same way he tried to comfort Miss Franny when she had her fits. Only I held on to Winn-Dixie for another reason, too. I held on to him tight so he wouldn’t run away.

It all made me think about Gloria Dump. I wondered who comforted her when she heard those bottles knocking together, those ghosts chattering about the things she had done wrong. I wanted to comfort Gloria Dump. And I decided that the best way to do that would be to read her a book, read it to her loud enough to keep the ghosts away.

“And the army took him, and Littmus went off to war, just like that. Left behind his mother and three sisters. He went off to be a hero. But he soon found out the truth.” Miss Franny closed her eyes and shook her head.

“What truth?” I asked her.

“Why, that war is hell,” Miss Franny said with her eyes still closed. “Pure hell.”

I ate my Littmus Lozenge slow. It tasted good. It tasted like root beer and strawberry and something else I didn’t have a name for, something that made me feel kind of sad. I looked over at Amanda. She was sucking on her candy and thinking hard.

“Do you like it?” Miss Franny asked me.

“Yes ma’am,” I told her.

“What about you, Amanda? Do you like the Littmus Lozenge?”

“Yes ma’am,” she said. “But it makes me think of things I feel sad about.”

I didn’t go to sleep right away. I lay there and thought how life was like a Littmus Lozenge, how the sweet and the sad were all mixed up together and how hard it was to separate them out. It was confusing.

I got up out of bed and unwrapped a Littmus Lozenge and sucked on it hard and thought about my mama leaving me. That was a melancholy feeling. And then I thought about Amanda and Carson. And that made me feel melancholy, too. Poor Amanda. And poor Carson. He was the same age as Sweetie Pie. But he would never get to have his sixth birthday party.

I swept the floor real slow that day. I wanted to keep Otis company. I didn’t want him to be lonely. Sometimes, it seemed like everybody in the world was lonely. I thought about my mama.

“There ain’t no way you can hold on to something that wants to go, you understand? You can only love what you got while you got it.”

I kept on going over the list in my head. I memorized it the same way I had memorized the list of ten things about my mama. I memorized it so if I didn’t find him, I would have some part of him to hold on to. But at the same time, I thought of something I had never thought of before; and that was that a list of things couldn’t even begin to show somebody the real Winn-Dixie, just like a list of ten things couldn’t ever get me to know my mama.

“But do you know what? I just realized something, India Opal. When I told you your mama took everything with her, I forgot one thing, one very important thing that she left behind.”

“What?” I asked.

“You,” he said. “Thank God your mama left me you.” And he hugged me tighter.

“Well,” said Gloria Dump. “We didn’t do nothin’. We just sat here and waited and sang some songs. We all got to be good friends. Now. The punch ain’t nothin’ but water and the egg-salad sandwiches got tore up by the rain. You got to eat them with a spoon if you want egg salad. But we got pickles to eat. And Littmus Lozenges. And we still got a party going on.”

“Mama,” I said, just like she was standing right beside me, “I know ten things about you, and that’s not enough, that’s not near enough. But Daddy is going to tell me more; I know he will, now that he knows you’re not coming back. He misses you and I miss you, but my heart doesn’t feel empty anymore. It’s full all the way up. I’ll still think about you, I promise. But probably not as much as I did this summer.”

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Because of winn-dixie.

• Parents say (13)
• Kids say (48)

Based on 13 parent reviews

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Best ever read aloud in a classroom, beautiful book, a must have, the perfect read aloud for both character and academic lessons, better for 8+, you should read this book.

Tessa Suckoo & Jared Bremner

‘Because of Winn-Dixie’ Book Report

‘Because of Winn-Dixie’ Book Report

• Review ‘Because of Winn-Dixie and any notes, quizzes or journal entries that you have completed.
• Choose a ‘Book Report Idea’ from the attached list, or speak with me to suggest your own idea.
• Be sure to create your own pictures, and not use the same picture that is on the front of the book.
• Write your own summary of Because of Winn-Dixie.
• In the first paragraph, state the title and author of the book.
• Look for main ideas. What big, important events happened during the story?
• Talk about the main characters. Who were they? Why did they do what they did? How did they change through the course of the book? What made you like or dislike them as you read?
• Talk about turning points and the climax of the book.
• Describe other important details. When and where (in what setting) did the story take place?

You will be graded on content, creativity and presentation . See the rubric for what to include. Please see me if you have any additional questions.

The book report is due on Friday, November 22, 2013 .

Book Report Ideas

There are numerous ways to do a book report. Choose one method of reporting that interests you. It may be one of the ideas listed below, or an idea of your own. Be sure to see me if you are interested in using an idea of your own.

• Create a Billboard Advertise the book ‘Because of Winn-Dixie’, using poster board and drawing wooden frame on with a brown marker. Be sure to attach a written or typed detailed summary.
• Make a ‘Comic Strip’ Show the action of the story by making sketches on long strips of paper using stick figures. Be sure to attach a written or typed detailed summary.
• See What I Read? This report is a visual one. A model or diorama of your favorite scene from the story can be created. Be sure to attach a written or typed detailed summary.
• Favorite Scenes Pick three scenes from the book and illustrate them on large pieces of paper. Be sure to include a sentence at the bottom of each picture describing the scene. Remember to attach a written or typed detailed summary.
• Book Jacket Fold a large sheet of white paper so that it looks like a book jacket. Create a cover for your book jacket that illustrates the novel. On the inside flap, write a description of the main character. On the inside back flap, write 3 journal entries as the character. Then, on the back cover, write a detailed summary of the story.

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JPS Selects ‘Because Of Winn-Dixie’ As Annual All-District Read

Pictured are representatives from Jamestown Public Schools and volunteers from the Chautauqua County Humane Society outside of the Humane Society on Strunk Road.

Approximately 2,000 Jamestown Public Schools elementary students and middle school students at Jefferson Middle School will bring home a copy of Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, and begin reading it with their families and class on Monday, May 13.

For the third straight year, JPS will take part in a unique, national family literacy program called One District, One Book, made possible by non-profit Read to Them, designed to strengthen the educational connection between home and school.

Staff and families from all five JPS elementary schools and the fifth grade team at Jefferson Middle School helped select Because Of Winn-Dixie, which tells the story of a young girl, Opal, who befriends a dog named Winn-Dixie. Each school nominated titles that were available in both English and Spanish and then all staff and families voted from that list of nominations.

“Spending time reading with a child is one of the most valuable gifts parents and guardians can give. Taking the time to relax and enjoy reading with your child sends the important message that reading is worthwhile. It helps develop a love of reading that will last a lifetime and also help our children develop vocabulary, listening, language, thinking, and life skills. Reading one book together unifies our schools and community and keeps us ‘on the same page’ in terms of our mission, vision, and core beliefs. We aim to see every child learning every day, and we look forward to seeing the learning that will take place as we read Because of Winn-Dixie together!”

In school, students will experience dynamic assemblies, answer trivia questions, and engage in creative extension activities. The subject matter in Because of Winn-Dixie also creates an exciting opportunity to partner with the Chautauqua County Humane Society, which will be visiting classrooms to speak to students about the work they do for animals in the region. Elementary and middle school students across JPS will also be accepting donations for the society’s “Pennies for Paws” campaign.

“The opportunity for the Chautauqua County Humane Society to partner up once again with Jamestown Public Schools is very exciting,” said Brian Papalia, director of fundraising and communications. “The CCHS Humane Education Committee looks forward to educating children about the work we do for the community as well as critical animal safety and care issues. We are so grateful for the JPS support of Pennies 4 Paws. The Chautauqua County Humane Society is not affiliated financially in any way with any other animal welfare organization and does not receive any city, county, state, or federal tax funding. The important programs and services of the Chautauqua County Humane Society are possible only through the generosity of caring people and organizations who support CCHS.”

A reading schedule will be provided to students ahead of May 13. Recordings by special guest readers will be made available on the Jamestown Public Schools Facebook page.

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