Because of Winn-Dixie
Kate DiCamillo (J Fiction)
Opal knows ten things about her mother, but the one that sticks out most is that she hated being a preacher’s wife. Perhaps that’s why she left and never came back. When Opal’s father is given the chance to minister at a converted Pick-It-Quick store, the two leave the bad memories of Watley and move to a fresh start in Naomi, Florida. However, Opal’s lonely life changes when a stray dog she names Winn-Dixie enters her life. Because of Winn-Dixie, she meets the town’s librarian who once loaned a book to a bear, a reclusive witch with a ghost tree in her backyard, an animal-serenading ex-convict, a bald-headed baby, and a pinch-faced know-it-all. Soon, these strange individuals begin to fill the empty spot in Opal’s life and because of Winn-Dixie, maybe life in Naomi won’t be so lonely after all.
Recipient of the 2001 Newbery Honor Book award, Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie is a warm and tender book about misjudging people, dealing with loneliness and loss, and the power that a simple act of kindness can have. Through a goofy dog with a penchant for smiling and a possessing a remarkably good judge of character, Winn-Dixie shows Opal that looks can be deceiving, labels are best left on soup cans, and anyone who offers you a peanut butter sandwich can’t be all that bad. With a “surrogate” mother in the form of Gloria Dump (who deals with her own demons in a unique and beautiful way), Opal begins to understand the importance of courtesy and the value of giving everyone a second chance. Although this story dabbles into some complex issues involving parental abandonment and alcohol abuse, its sweet and tender message of belonging and being true to yourself makes it a delightful and enjoyable book for readers of all ages.
Walt Whitman once wrote, “Be curious, not judgmental.” Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal learned to look beyond a person’s past actions, ugly words, or sour disposition and instead began to ask questions and listen to their stories. By using her ears rather than her eyes, she discovered what Winn-Dixie knew all along…that anyone who shows kindness, warmth, and compassion to a scraggly dog with a toothy smile can’t really be all that bad. How can they be?
Rating: 5/5
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