Tools for this page
Print

Book Summary

Reviewed by Matt Berman

When lonely India Opal Buloni takes home a stray dog she finds at the supermarket, her whole life changes in ways she couldn't have imagined. This soothing, poignant first novel, filled with the atmosphere of a dusty Southern town, is one of the best around.

India Opal Buloni has just moved to the small town of Naomi, Florida, with her father, a preacher who "reminded me of a turtle hiding inside its shell." Her mother abandoned them years before, and Opal feels alone and abandoned in her new town.

At the supermarket she rescues a stray dog who looks "like a big piece of old brown carpet that had been left out in the rain," and names him Winn-Dixie, after the market. She soon discovers that he is great at making friends, and because of Winn-Dixie, Opal is learning to see beyond people's surfaces.

The ex-con who runs the pet shop plays music that mesmerizes animals. An woman rumored to be a witch is just an old lady who is half-blind, but can see with her heart. A pinched-faced girl harbors a tragic secret. And all are soon her friends.

Is It Any Good?

5

BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE is a warmhearted, lovely combination of hilarity (in one scene Winn-Dixie captures an unhurt mouse in the church and delivers it to the preacher during his sermon), poignancy (a candy that tastes of sadness created by a young man who lost everything in the Civil War), and the kind of characters you find only in Southern novels (a child named Sweetie Pie, an old woman who ties bottles to a tree to hold the ghosts of her past transgressions).

Opal, who narrates, ties it all together. Her voice is one of the more distinctive in recent years -- tart without being snide, humorous, wise without precocity, and honest. Initially she is more comfortable with adults than with children, but she learns, with help from her unusual dog and some caring adults, to look for the good in others. This exceptional first novel joins a genre, epitomized by Patricia MacLachlan's work, of stories without villains, which hold the reader instead through the charm of the characters, the delight of the events, and the lyricism of the writing.

Give Us a Minute, Get a Lot of Common Sense!
  • Age-appropriate best bets for your kids
  • Weekly email alert with the latest picks, reviews & advice
  • Post your own reviews and share them with friends
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
A screen name protects your privacy
(It's free!)

Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
To post a review or comment you must become a Common Sense Member. It's easy!
Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations.
A screen name protects your privacy
Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
(optional)
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child

Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
We can make Common Sense just right for you. With a little info about you and your family, you'll get the most out of our site.
Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!
Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child
Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations
A screen name protects your privacy
Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
Register to add this school to your profile. You'll be able to see and share reviews from parents, teachers, and kids at your child's school.
I'm already a Common Sense member.
Kids under 13 must use a screen name
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.