Because of Winn Dixie

Amazon writes, "Because of Winn-Dixie, a big, ugly, happy dog, 10-year-old Opal learns 10 things about her long-gone mother from her preacher father. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal makes new friends among the somewhat unusual residents of her new hometown, Naomi, Florida. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal begins to find her place in the world and let go of some of the sadness left by her mother's abandonment seven years earlier.

With her newly adopted, goofy pooch at her side, Opal explores her bittersweet world and learns to listen to other people's lives. This warm and winning book hosts an unforgettable cast of characters, including a librarian who fought off a bear with a copy of War and Peace, an ex-con pet-store clerk who plays sweet music to his animal charges, and the neighborhood "witch," a nearly blind woman who sees with her heart." It is an amazing book - slightly religious. All in all, I say: READ IT - it's an easy read.

Daniels (Newsroom) stars as the dad in the movie version of the book. The book is better, but the movie does an ok job. Rob (The Way Way Back) does a decent job as Opal. All in all, I say: SEE IT after you read the book.