A Review of Because of Winn-Dixie
Discovering the Gift of Friendship in a Delightful Book
Now a major motion picture, Because of Winn-Dixie begs to become a beloved family read. It will steal your heart as it moistens your cheeks and gladdens your soul.
“My name is India Opal Buloni, and last summer my daddy, the preacher, sent me to the store for a box of macaroni-and-cheese, some white rice, and two tomatoes and I came back with a dog.” (Page 7) With this simple summary as an opener, Kate DiCamillo invites her readers to sit cross-legged under a shade tree, scratch the head of a vibrant dog named after a grocery store chain and get to know one of the most colorful main characters to be found in children’s literature.
India Opal and Others
India Opal Buloni – with a name as unique as that, she must be quite a character, and she is. With a depth of maturity that mirrors that of an adult, yet the innocence of a typical ornery child Opal winds her way into the heart of every reader who makes her acquaintance. Hers is a refreshing spirit, complicated by deep questions and a sadness stemming from the abandonment of her mother.
Opal is a jewel, but she is not the only treasure to be found among the pages of Because of Winn-Dixie. Yearning for friendship and following what seems like purposeful direction from her canine companion, Opal develops relationships in her new hometown that will change her heart in remarkable ways, even as she changes theirs.
Opal’s dad, whom she calls The Preacher, struggles to come to terms with his wife’s departure while attempting to gently explain it to his daughter. Miss Franny, the self-appointed town librarian, provides a safe haven for Opal, who offers companionship to the lonely woman. Stevie and Dunlap Dewberry, Sweetie Pie Thomas and Amanda Wilkinson offer Opal the much-needed friendship of children, a fact that takes Opal by surprise. Gloria Dump, the rumored town witch, teaches Opal to look beyond a person’s surface and past to discover the value within, a lesson she puts into practice with Otis, the pet shop manager with an unsavory past. Of course, Winn-Dixie serves as a main character, possessing many endearing human-like qualities.
Litmus Lozenges
Through the course of the story Opal learns two crucial lessons, one of which is inspired by a simple piece of candy. An element of sadness can be found in the flavor of the treat that Opal shares with those around her. In so doing, she invites her friends to share their personal tragedies, even as she shares her own sadness with them. With Winn-Dixie’s help the characters come to understand that burdens shared are easier to bear.
Dog-Gone
During this new time in her life Opal struggles with an old enemy – the abandonment of her mother. Curious about the woman who walked away from her, Opal asks The Preacher to tell her ten things about her mom, a list which she quickly memorizes in an attempt to hold onto some part of her missing parent.
Winn-Dixie provides a constant, reassuring presence in Opal’s life, at least until he runs off during a thunderstorm. During this worst of storms for Opal she learns her second lesson by remembering profound words from her friend, Gloria Dump. “Gloria says that you can’t hold on to anything. That you can only love what you’ve got while you’ve got it.” (Page 167)
The Wonders of Winn-Dixie
Kate DiCamillo is an enchantress of a storyteller. In Because of Winn-Dixie she weaves a quaint and charming tale that disarms readers with both innocence and honesty. Winn-Dixie is beautifully simple, a delightful piece of literature for chapter book-reading children, as well as adults who have enjoyed the privilege of befriending a special dog for a season.
Because of Winn-Dixie
By Kate DiCamillo
Copyright 2000 by Kate DiCamillo
ISBN: 0-439-25051-X
