If you like a suspenseful tale about a dog that finds a home then you will probably like this
book.  It has comedy, terrific illustration, and great friends.  Then you should read the book Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamello.

Third Grade Student,
Greenbush Elementary School

Because of Winn Dixie. I love this book because India found Winn Dixie a dog in the Winn Dixie grocery store. India went into the grocery store and came out with a dog! The funniest part is when Winn Dixie pulls his lips back and smiles and then sneezes. On a rate from 1 to 10 I would give it a 9.

Elizabeth R.
Jamestown School, Grade 4

Because of Winn-Dixie.  I like Winn-Dixie because it can be funny depends on what you think of funny. Most of the time it is sad because India's mother left her when she was three. But when she found a dog in the store thing are looking a better for India.

Megan G.
Jamestown School, Grade 4
 

I really recommend Because of Winn-Dixie. It is about a stray dog that needs a home and a girl who needs a friend. Together they find what they find what they need. On  a scale from 1-10 I would rate it a 10.

Lizzie G.
Jamestown School, Grade 4

This book is one of the best ones I read yet.  It was funny how she calmed the dog and everyone looked at her.  It gets an A+.  It was a REALLY GOOD BOOK.

Abbryella, Grade 5
Horgan Elementary

I loved the book Because of Winn-Dixie for many reasons.  It was very sweet, cheerful, and exciting.
It was about a lonely girl who enters a grocery store and finds a dog.  She calls him Winn-Dixie because of the store she found him in.  She takes him home and asks her father (preacher she calls him) if she can
keep him and he says Yes!  Winn-Dixie helps Opal through friendships, hard times, and the loss of her
mother that left her.  I recommend this book to all ages and hope you read it.  You will enjoy this book,
I guarantee.

Kelsey, 5th grade
Hanaford School, East Greenwich
 

The book Winn-Dixie is the best book I every read. The author Kate DiCamillo made it seem like it was
happening right before my eyes.  The characters are Winn-Dixie (the dog), Opal (the girl and narrator),
the preacher (Opal's dad), Ms. Franny (the librarian), and Gloria Dump (one of Opal's friends that is
mistaken for a witch).  All these characters were unpredictable and unique in their own way.  In the
story, Opal just moves to a new town and finds a dog. The dog is her best friend and makes her feel more
confident.  I know you will have a good time reading this book!

K.R., 5th grade
Hanaford School, East Greenwich

Because of Winn-dixie was about a girl, Opal, who moved and didn't have any friends. Before that her
mother left  her and the preacher (her dad).  One day she saw a dog terrorizing a grocery shop boss. Even though Opal had no idea whose dog it was she just went ahead  and said it was her dog. She probably saved his life.  Winn-dixie, the dog, helped Opal make several friends.

"Because of Winn-dixie"  really caught attention. I don't think I've ever read a better book.  I liked how
Opal didn't care that most of her friends are older then her, just that they are her friends. Opal was
really open-minded. I really think that book is the best in the world.

Martha, Hanaford School,
East Greenwich

Because of Winn-Dixie was about a girl named India Opal Buloni.  She was new to town and didn't have
many friends.  One day, Opal went to the Winn-Dixie grocery store, where there was a lot of confusion being made by a dog.  The manager was going to call the pound.  Opal yelled, "Wait a minute don't call the pound, that's my dog!"  It wasn't really her dog, so she had to think of a name for it.  The first thing that came into her head was Winn-Dixie, and the dog came trotting over to her.

India Opal was new to town and needed a friend.  Winn-Dixie was her first.  Somehow, she would have
to find a way to convince her father to let Winn-Dixie stay.  She told him that Winn-Dixie was one of the
less fortunate and her father agreed to let him stay.  Winn-Dixie helped Opal solve her problem of not
having many friends.  He helped Opal make friends with many children and adults.

Overall, I thought Because of Winn-Dixie was a very good book, even though it wasn't very exciting.
It was well written and the author did a very good job creating a picture in your mind.  I liked how the
book had a dog as its main character because dogs are my favorite animals.  I thought the title Because of
Winn-Dixie was very important, because a lot of good things happen to Opal, because of Winn-Dixie.  If I
 were to rank this book on a scale from one to ten I would probably rank it a seven and a half.  Even  though the book wasn't very adventurous I think I chose the right book to read.

David A., 5th grade, Hanaford School,
East Greenwich

We just read Because of Winn Dixie.  We think that you would like it because it made us happy and sad at the same time.  If you like dogs and super books, you would really like this book!  We hope you will read it and vote for it!  In this book, the girl sees something that makes her gasp!  If you want to find out what she saw, check out this book!

Ariel K.,  Madeleine K.
Sowams School, Barrington

I really enjoyed the book Because of Winn-Dixie because it had a girl that wanted just to know more about her mother but at the end, she learned more about her friends than she did about her mother but she didn't mind.

Ashley, grade 5
Clayville elementary school

I thought this book was interesting.  It really caught my interest.  I also thought the book was touching.  It was also funny.  If you like a comforting book, this is the book to read.

Zachary Grade 5
Clayville Elementary

I thought this book was interesting and it had a lot of action. It kept my interest the whole time. My favorite part was when Winn-Dixie got freaked out and ran around the whole house because he was afraid of thunder storms.

Keri Mouradjian Gr.5
Clayville Elementary

I think because of Winn-Dixie is a good book. I like the part when Winn-Dixie runs around like crazy because he is afraid of lightning.

Kristen Audet, Grade 5
Clayville Elementary School

Please send student comments, suggestions, etc to: Joy Helmold helmold@snet.net
This page was updated February 12, 2002.