Name: ______Date: ______
Because of Winn Dixie
By Kate DiCamillo
Responses should be recorded in your reading journal. Each chapter should have the following heading and be written at the top of a clean page.
Title: Because of Winn Dixie
Chapter: write the chapter number assigned
Date: write the date of the assignment
You can write the above in the large white space at the top of the page. Here is an example.
Because of Winn Dixie
Chapter 1 and 2
Chapter 1: pages 7-12
1. Opal's dog is called Winn-Dixie. Tell why Opal decides to give her dog that name.
2. What words does Opal use to describe Winn-Dixie when she first sees him? Of these qualities, which one
cause Opal to adopt Winn-Dixie despite the way he looks?
Chapters 2 & 3: pages 13-26
3. How does Opal convince her father, the preacher, to let her keep Winn-Dixie?
4. As Opal gives her new dog a bath, she tells him they are a lot alike. In what ways are Opal and
her dog alike?
Chapters 4 & 5: pages 27 – 39
5. At Opal's urging, her father tells her ten things about her mother, one for every year of Opal's life.
Describe Opal's mother on the basis of those ten things.
Chapters 6 & 7: pages 40-51
6. Describe Miss Franny's character.
Chapter 8: pages 52-59
7. At the end of the chapter, Opal says she doesn't fell lonely anymore. What things have happened
so far that has helped Opal not feel so lonely.
Chapters 9 and 10: pages 60-71
8. Summarize these two chapters by describing Gloria Dump and tell how she helps Opal.
Chapters 11-12, pages 72-86
9. Summarize what happens during the thunderstorm in chapter 11 and how this influences Opal's
feelings toward her father, the preacher.
10. Describe Otis' character.
Chapters 13 & 14, pages 87 - 97
11. Describe Stevie and Dunlap Dewberry's characters and Opal's feelings toward them? How is
Dunlap different from Stevie?
12. Describe the bottle tree and what it symbolizes for Gloria Dump. What do you think Gloria Dump
is trying to teach Opal by showing her the bottle tree?
Chapters 15-16, pages 98 - 109
13. Describe Amanda Wilkinson's character.
Chapter 17, pages 115-117
14. What is the secret ingredient in the Littmus Lozenge? What do you think Miss Franny said that
not everyone could "taste" it?
15. Amanda says the candy reminds her of Carson? Who do you think Carson might be?
Chapter 18-19, pages 118-128
16. Opal's father describes the Littmus Lozenge as tasting like melancholy? What is melancholy?
17. Identify the melancholy each of the following characters remembers.
· Amanda:
· The preacher:
· Opal:
· Otis:
Chapter 20, pages 133-142
18. Why does Opal want Gloria Dump to help her throw a party?
19. Gloria Dump agrees to the party if Opal will promise to do something. What does Gloria Dump
make Opal promise to do? Why do you think she make Opal promise to do this?
Chapter 21-23, pages 143 -160
20. What happens that causes Winn-Dixie to disappear? Describe how Opal feels. How do you think her feelings about Winn-Dixie's disappearance relate to her feelings toward her mother?
Chapter 24, pages 161-168
21. Why does Opal make up 10 things to remember about Winn-Dixie?
22. What does Opal realize about her father in this chapter? How do you think it changes their
relationship?
Chapter 25 - 26, pages 169-182
23. After the party, Opal goes to Gloria's mistake tree and tells her mother she won't miss her as
much because her heart feels full. How has Opal's life changed to make her feel that way?
24. Opal wanted to write her mother a letter telling her what she has learned over the summer
because of Winn-Dixie and all her other new friends. What are some of the things Opal could
say to her mother?
25. In the story Miss Franny compares life to a Littmus Lozenge, because the sweet and sad are
often mixed up together. Do you agree with this point of view? Explain your answer.
26. Write a list of ten qualities that describe who you are. As models, use the lists describing Opal's
mother and Winn-Dixie.
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