Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, 2000

Brief annotation:

Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie.

Themes include loneliness, friendship, family and the relationships between dogs and people.

This book would be a good book for a class to read together. Discuss questions could include:
If you ate one of Miss Franny's Littmus Lozenges, what would it taste like to you?
What do you think of the preacher as a father?
What is the significance of the various friendships Opal forms over her first summer in Florida? What does she learn from this diverse group of people?
How do you think Winn-Dixie changed the people whose lives he touched? Was his impact more significant on some characters than others?