Because of Winn-Dixie Review
4.5 from 5
This is a sweet story about a 10-year-old girl, called Opal, who lives with "the preacher," which is what she calls her dad. It's hard to think of him as a daddy since he's so busy with being a preacher and reminds her of "a turtle hiding inside its shell," since her mother abandoned them 7 years earlier. But, after she adopts Winn-Dixie, a large, loveable, and initially bedraggled dog, everything changes. "Because of Winn-Dixie," she becomes happier in her new town, makes new friends, learns to reach out to others, comes to peace with her mother's abandonment, and her relationship with "the preacher" is restored.
This book is written as a first-person narrative from Opal's perspective. And it very much sounds like it's being narrated to you by a young child. The grammer is deliberately imperfect; the observations a bit blunt or quaint at times. It comes across as charming. This book would be a wonderful read-aloud as the narrator's language will be appreciated more that way. There are funny moments and good lessons that Opal learns along the way.
The chapters are relatively short, as is the book. Though it is technically 176 pages, the lines are almost double-spaced with generous margins, so it's really more like a 100-page book.
Overall, I give this a 4-star. It's a good book, but I don't consider it an outstanding one. I will definitely keep it, and will be reading it aloud at some point with my older children (ages 8 and 6). I would recommend this book for children in the elementary age set, but it can also be enjoyed by older readers, for whom it will be a short but sweet read.
Because of Winn-Dixie Overviews
Because of Winn-Dixie, a big, ugly, happy dog, 10-year-old Opal learns 10 things about her long-gone mother from her preacher father. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal makes new friends among the somewhat unusual residents of her new hometown, Naomi, Florida. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal begins to find her place in the world and let go of some of the sadness left by her mother's abandonment seven years earlier.
With her newly adopted, goofy pooch at her side, Opal explores her bittersweet world and learns to listen to other people's lives. This warm and winning book hosts an unforgettable cast of characters, including a librarian who fought off a bear with a copy of War and Peace, an ex-con pet-store clerk who plays sweet music to his animal charges, and the neighborhood "witch," a nearly blind woman who sees with her heart. Part Frankie (The Member of the Wedding), part Scout (To Kill a Mockingbird), Opal brings her own unique and wonderful voice to a story of friendship, loneliness, and acceptance. Opal's down-home charm and dead-on honesty will earn her friends and fans far beyond the confines of Naomi, Florida. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter
Because of Winn-Dixie Specifications
Kate DiCamillo’s beloved, best-selling debut novel is now available in a paperback digest edition.
Kate DiCamillo’s fi rst published novel, like Winn-Dixie himself, immediately
proved to be a keeper — a New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor winner, the inspiration for a popular film, and most especially, a cherished classic that touches the hearts of readers of all ages. It’s now available in a paperback digest format certain to bring this tale’s magic to an even wider circle of fans.
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*Product Information Stored: Dec 26, 2009 01:02:54
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