This story follows a little girl named Opal, who just moved to a new southern town when her dad got a new job as the town priest. Opal struggles to make friends until she comes across a lost dog who changes her life forever. She goes from having no friends to developing many new positive relationships, even ones she did not think she would ever have. ( )

A lovely children's book about a lonely 10-year-old in a new town, who "rescues" a stray dog, and finds that the benefits are mutual. Newbery Honor winner. Loved it.
Read in 2014 ( )

Pretty good YA novel of a girl and a dog in a new town in the South. ( )

Independent Reading Level: Grades 3-5

independent reading ages 7+
Because of Winn-Dixie was the winner of a Newbery Honor distinction the year after publication. In 2000, the book won the Josette Frank Award, and in 2003 won the Mark Twain Award. In 2007 the U.S. National Education Association listed Winn-Dixie as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children", based on an online poll.