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Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamilloA girl meets dog story with a sense of humor and a sense of tenderness. The main character, Opal, has moved to south Florida with "the preacher" (her dad) and is without friends or a mother. But, as the story begins, Opal finds a dog and things begin to change. She meets a motley but memorable cast of characters that help her learn some important lessons, such as acknowledging that some sadness is usually mixed in with the sweetness of life and we can only love what we have while we have it . Sometimes the story just misses on the side of feel-good cliche, but other times it comes across as original and true. When Opal discovers Ms. Gloria Dump, one of her new best friends, has "done bad things" and is an alcoholic like her own lost mother, she--and the reader--is genuinely surprised. Gloria's words carry moral authority, then, when she admonishes Opal not to judge people on "what they done" but on "what they are doing right now." Random House has this book on tape (2 cassettes) that is highly recommended. Reader Cherry Jones uses a folksy voice which clearly marks the setting in small town America. She provides memorable voices for all the quirky characters in this story. |