Middle-grade novel · Fiction
Because of Winn-Dixie
Kate DiCamillo
About the book
Ten-year-old Opal adopts a stray dog in a Florida town, and the dog helps her make friends and learn about her absent mother.
Reading notes
A gentle, character-driven first middle-grade novel.
This description was drafted with AI assistance and checked by a separate AI review against catalog, publisher and award sources on 2026-11-11. It has not been reviewed by a human editor. Report an error.
Recognition
- Newbery Honor (2001)
Recognition is listed from the awarding bodies’ published records. How we verify awards.
Book details
- Author
- Kate DiCamillo
- First published
- 2000
- Suggested ages
- Ages 8–12 (editorial estimate — children vary)
- Reading mode
- Independent reader
- Topics
- friendship, dogs, community
- Edition shown
- ISBN 9780763644321 · Candlewick Press, February 10, 2009 · paperback
- Catalog record
- Open Library work record · edition record
Metadata verified against Open Library on 2026-11-11. Other editions and formats exist; ISBNs differ by edition.
Not independently confirmed by our AI review: the suggested age range against a publisher range. Treat these details with caution.
Featured in
Age guide
Books for Ages 9 to 12: A Guide to Middle Grade Reading
What middle grade means, the wide range of maturity within it, graphic and verse novels as real reading, heavier themes, and why read-aloud still matters.