Module 9: Abduction by Peg Kehret

Bibliographic Citation: Kehret, Peg. Abduction. New York: Puffin Books, 2004.

Plot Summary:

Bonnie and Matt's mom has given them great advice as to what to do if they are ever apporached by a stranger.  However, when Matt is apporached by a stranger that claims to know his mother and sister, and happens to have the family dog, Matt is tricked into going with the stranger.  It turns out the stranger is Matt's father, Denny, whom he's never met.  Denny ends up taking Matt to his apartment and keeping him there.  While Matt is missing, Bonnie and her mother are doing everything they can to find Matt.  Since the family dog was taken, Bonnie is convinced that Matt is not simply lost, he has to be missing, and he must have been abducted because he would never leave on his own.  

When Bonnie is invited to a baseball game, she agrees to go even though she feels guilty at going without her little brother.  When she is at the game, she spots a kid that looks like her brother, but she can't be sure since he is in disguise.  Once she gets closer, her thoughts are confirmed and she sees her little brother.  However, Denny spots her and he ends up taking both children.  Bonnie tries to get help along the way, but nobody listens to what she is saying, such as when she went into the bathroom and she told two ladies what was happening.  They thought she was playing a game and didnt take her serious.  Eventually Bonnie and her brother Matt managed to get away from Denny.  Then Denny thought it would be a good idea to go on a ferry and get rid of Bonnie, when he was about to throw Bonnie overboard, she yelled Zinger, and Matt threw his baseball as hard as he could, hitting Denny.  The kids were rescued and Denny was arrested.   

My Impressions of the Book:

I found the title to be interesting which is why I picked up this book in the first place.  I have to say that this is not on my top 10 books.  Matt is abducted by his father, whom he's never met, and I just didn't fall in love with any of the characters in the novel.  I felt myself getting flustered when Matt was at the baseball game with his dad, and I didnt know why he didnt just run away or ask someone for help.  I mean he was in a stadium with thousands of people, just ask for help!  Then Matt's sister finds him, and again, no yelling for help, no nothing!  So, the plot annoyed me a little.  However, I can see this book being very educational to many kids/teens.  I think this book teaches kids/ teens awareness about being abducted.  So, this book is added to my blog because a teen that reads this book can learn a lot, as in tips as to what to do if you are abducted.  There were a lot of terms throughout the book that teens can leanr, such as what an Amber Alert is.     

Review(s) About the Book:

Barnes & Nobles Editorials Review

Janis Flint-Ferguson - KLIATT

Bonnie is a pretty typical seventh grade student. She is responsible for her six-year-old brother after school and so she leaves the middle school directly to join her brother in the bus line and get him home. But on this Friday her brother isn't standing in the line waiting for her. In fact, he has disappeared from the elementary school. The school is searched, the teachers are brought in, and finally the police arrive, but Matt Stolter is still missing, abducted by his father. Denny Thurman is a desperate man and intends to use Matt to get money to pay off gambling debts. He disguises himself to cover his tracks and uses a pet dog to lure Matt away. While Bonnie and her mother talk to news media, hang posters, and wait for news, Denny hides Matt in an apartment and tells him that his mother and sister have died. After a week, Matt is bored and Denny needs more money—fast. Matt, Bonnie and Denny end up at a Mariners game in Safeco Field where the situation goes from coincidence to climax. The novel follows the situation at home and at Denny's as the sense of loss and missed clues mount up. Coincidence provides much of the suspense. There is little violence and the story is happily resolved. KLIATT Codes: J—Recommended for junior high school students. 2004, Penguin, Dutton, 224p., Ages 12 to 15.

Barnes & Nobles Editorials Review

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Matt, a kindergartener, meets his 13-year-old half sister every day after school for the ride home. When he fails to show up, Bonnie immediately notifies his teacher and principal, and a full-scale search ensues. Even though Matt has been taught "stranger danger," he is lured into the kidnapper's car with his own dog, stolen from his house. The kidnapper is the boy's father, whom he has never met, and who tells Matt that his mother and sister are dead. So even though the boy knows his phone number, he doesn't try to call. The story portrays a kidnapper's determination and the ease with which a child can be swayed by a stranger despite years of teaching. The novel also does a good job of incorporating modern-day search techniques, such as an Amber Alert, and explaining their use. The plot stretches a bit when Bonnie spots her brother at a Seattle Mariners game, but it does make for a suspenseful ending as she also becomes a victim. The story is resolved happily but with a twist showing the remorse of the people who could have helped along the way but didn't for various reasons. This novel has enough suspense to keep children interested, and it will also appeal to reluctant readers.-Diana Pierce, Running Brushy Middle School, Cedar Park, TX Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Use in Library Setting:

I would recommend this book to parents who want to educate their children on what to do in case of an emergency, such as being abducted.  No one wants to think about their children being abducted, but awareness is very important.

Module 8: Twilight by Stephanie Myers

Bibliographic Citation: Myers, Stephanie. Twilight. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2005.

Plot Summary:

Bella Swan has just moved to Forks with her father, Charlie.  Forks is a small town so Bella makes friends pretty quick, everyone is interested in the new girl.  However, during lunch, Bella notices the Cullens sitting at a table together, looking very sophisticated.  She was instantly intrigued in them and wanted to learn about them.  Luckily, Bella has Edward, one of the Cullens, in her science class.  Edwards happens to sit next to her, but he seems disgusted by her.  The next few days are uneventful, Bella wants to see Edward but he doesn't show up to school.  When he finally returns, Edward is rather friendly with Bella and they talk.

One morning while in the parking lot, a boy almost ran over Bella.  However, somehow Edward was there in an instant and saved her.  Then Bella notices that Edward left a dent on the van.  This she can't explain, neother how fast Edward was there to save her.  After this, Bella and Edward form a friendship.  Bella also forms a friendship with Jacob Black, and he shares a legend with her about vampires and werewolves.  This is where Bella learns that the Cullens might be vampires.  Eventually Edward admits to Bella that he and his family are vampires, but they don't drink human blood.  He admits to be attracted to her blood and so has doubts wether he can trust himself with her.  

Bella and Edward's relationship develops and they fall in love.  One day while Bella is at a family baseball game with the Cullens, some vampires show up, vampires that drink human blood.  Bella's life is in danger and the Cullens must protect her.  Thankfully, the Cullens each have a special talent, like reading thoughts and seeing into the future.  This is how Edward learns that one of the vampires plans to hunt and kill Bella.  In order to confuse the vampire, they plan to hide Bella and trick the vampire from finding her.  In a turn of events, the vampire manages to trick Bella and she is almost killed.     

My Impressions of the Book:

Now this is what I would call a love story!  When people went crazy over Twilight and all the other movies I would think, really? Vampires?  Now that I have read Twilight I can see why so many people love this book and Edward.  I picked up this 450+ pages book and could not put it down, 3 days later I was done reading it and ready for the next one.  I found the Cullen family to be very intriguing and I wanted Bella to learn more about them so I could learn about them.  This is simply one of thsoe stories that takes you to a different place and deep down there is a little part of you that wants to believe that maybe, just maybe, vampires might exists among us. 

Review(s) About the Book:

Amazon.com

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 9-12. In the tradition of Anne Rice and YA titles such as Annette Curtis Klause's The Silver Kiss (1999) comes this heady romance that intertwines Bella Swan's life with that of Edward, an alluring and tormented vampire. Bella's life changes when she moves to perpetually rain-soaked Forks, Washington. She is instantly drawn to a fellow student, Edward Cullen, beautiful beyond belief and angrily aloof. Bella senses there is more behind Edward's hostility, and in a plot that slowly and frighteningly unfolds, she learns that Edward and his family are vampires--though they do not hunt humans. Yet Edward cannot promise that his powerful attraction to Bella won't put in her in danger, or worse. Recklessly in love, Bella wants only to be with Edward, but when a vicious, blood-lusting predator complicates her world, Bella's peril is brutally revealed. This is a book of the senses: Edward is first attracted by Bella's scent; ironically, Bella is repelled when she sees blood. Their love is palpable, heightened by their touches, and teens will respond viscerally. There are some flaws here--a plot that could have been tightened, an overreliance on adjectives and adverbs to bolster dialogue--but this dark romance seeps into the soul. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Amazon.com

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–When Bella Swan moves from sunny Phoenix to Forks, Washington, a damp and dreary town known for the most rainfall in the United States, to live with her dad, she isnt expecting to like it. But the level of hostility displayed by her standoffish high school biology lab partner, Edward Cullen, surprises her. After several strange interactions, his preternatural beauty, strength, and speed have her intrigued. Edward is just as fascinated with Bella, and their attraction to one another grows. As Bella discovers more about Edwards nature and his family, she is thrown headlong into a dangerous adventure that has her making a desperate sacrifice to save her one true love. One of the more original vampire constructs around, this recording of Stephenie Meyers debut novel (Megan Tingley Books, 2005) is narrated with great style by Ilyana Kadushin, who makes the infinitely romantic tale of star-crossed lovers resonate with a bittersweet edge. Although Edward and Bellas romance and subsequent danger develops slowly, the pacing is appropriate for teens who want learn all the details in this suspenseful tale. An excellent purchase for both school and public libraries.–Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Use in Library Setting:

I would add this book to a list of books that have had movies made on them, this title would be included as well as other titles, such as "The Outsiders."  So, if a student needed to write a report on the difference between a book and its movie, they could utilize this list of books. 

Module 8: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Bibliographic Citation: Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008.

Plot Summary:

In the “The Hunger Games” you meet a sixteen year old girl named Katniss, who lives in a futuristic dystopian society.  Katniss and her family live in District 12 and she is the bread winner of her family.  District 12 is part of Panem, and each year two children, a boy and a girl, are chosen to be a part of the Hunger Games.  After Katniss’ little sister, Prim, is chosen as one of the participants in the Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers herself instead.  Katniss and and a boy named Peeta, then have to compete in the Hunger Games against 22 other participants from the other districts.  The objective of the game is to be the last person alive, no matter what it takes.  The game makers make sure to create different obstacles for each person, coming up with wild ideas of how people can kill each other off, such as by placing all the materials for the participants in the middle of a cornucopia, where participants must fight and kill for food, weapons, and other items needed to survive in the Hunger Games.  Somehow, Katniss and Peeta manage to be the last two participants in the games, and Katniss comes up with a genius idea, they will both kill themselves because they are “in love” and can’t live without each other.  When the producers of the games see this, they stop the games and declare both of them winners or tributes as they are called.  So, for the first time ever there are two tributes in the Hunger Games.       

My Impressions of the Book:

One of the best books I have read this semester!  I could not put this book down, I just had to continue reading to see what would happen next.  I can't imagine how Collins came up with such a horrid novel, I mean a game of survival, killing people off, that is pretty gruesome.  Yet, it was a good read and I loved the twist at the end of the novel, with Katniss and Peeta planning to kill themselves, genious!  This book was a different read than the rest of the YA literature and I think that is why the book is so popular, it is not your typical YA literatgure read.  I loved this book so much, that I had to squeeze in time to read the 2nd book in my leisure time. 

Review(s) About the Book:

Amazon.com

From Booklist

*Starred Review* This is a grand-opening salvo in a new series by the author of the Underland Chronicles. Sixteen-year-old Katniss poaches food for her widowed mother and little sister from the forest outside the legal perimeter of District 12, the poorest of the dozen districts constituting Panem, the North American dystopic state that has replaced the U.S. in the not-too-distant future. Her hunting and tracking skills serve her well when she is then cast into the nation’s annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death where contestants must battle harsh terrain, artificially concocted weather conditions, and two teenaged contestants from each of Panem’s districts. District 12’s second “tribute” is Peeta, the baker’s son, who has been in love with Katniss since he was five. Each new plot twist ratchets up the tension, moving the story forward and keeping the reader on edge. Although Katniss may be skilled with a bow and arrow and adept at analyzing her opponents’ next moves, she has much to learn about personal sentiments, especially her own. Populated by three-dimensional characters, this is a superb tale of physical adventure, political suspense, and romance. Grades 9-12. --Francisca Goldsmith --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0439023521/sr=1-1/qid=1292186889/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1292186889&sr=1-1

Barnes & Nobles Editorials Review

The New York Times - John Green

brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced…a futuristic novel every bit as good and as allegorically rich as Scott Westerfeld's Uglies books…the considerable strength of the novel comes in Collins's convincingly detailed world-building and her memorably complex and fascinating heroine. In fact, by not calling attention to itself, the text disappears in the way a good font does: nothing stands between Katniss and the reader, between Panem and America. This makes for an exhilarating narrative and a future we can fear and believe in, but it also allows us to see the similarities between Katniss's world and ours.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Hunger-Games/Suzanne-Collins/e/9780439023528/?itm=1&USRI=the+hunger+games

Use in Library Setting:

This book could be displayed in a Most Popular books display.  I would display it with the other 2 books that come after it.  This book would also be great for a teens book club, because great discussion could arise from reading this book.

Module 7: Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Bibliographic Citation: Myers, Walter D. Monster. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 1999.

Plot Summary:

Steve Harmon is a 16 year old who is in jail, on trial for being an accomplice to a murder.  Steve spends his time in jail, writing in his journal and creating a movie script of his life.  O'Brien is Steve's attorney and whether or not she believes in Steve's innocence is unknown.  She advises him though that he needs to prove to the jury that he is innocent if he doesn't want to spend time in jail.  Steve's friends decided to rob the neighborhood liquor store and the robbery went wrong, and the owner, Mr. Nesbitt was killed.  Now James King and Steve Harmon are on trial for the murder.  According to James King, Steve was supposed to be a lookout, make sure that no one went into the store.  Steve claims that he just happened to go to the store and was walking out when it happened, that he wasn't part of the robbery.   After a long trial, Steve's case is dismissed and he is set free.  However, whether Steve is innocent or not is not stated in the novel.      

My Impressions of the Book:

This book is written in the form of a journal and a movie script, and the movie script sections were tough to get used to.  I didn't quite enjoy the book as much because at first I was trying to capture what the camera angles meant, the cut to, etc.  Once I got used to the writing style, I finally began to enjoy the novel.  I found myself wanting Steve to be innocent but from time to time, I couldn't help but doubt him.  This is another novel in which I truly did not like the ending.  The reader never finds out if Steve is guilty or not, and I must admit, that fact was a bit upsetting.  The reader is left to make their own decision as to whether is Steve is guilty or not.   

Review(s) About the Book:

Amazon.com

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-Steve Harmon, 16, is accused of serving as a lookout for a robbery of a Harlem drugstore. The owner was shot and killed, and now Steve is in prison awaiting trial for murder. From there, he tells about his case and his incarceration. Many elements of this story are familiar, but Myers keeps it fresh and alive by telling it from an unusual perspective. Steve, an amateur filmmaker, recounts his experiences in the form of a movie screenplay. His striking scene-by-scene narrative of how his life has dramatically changed is riveting. Interspersed within the script are diary entries in which the teen vividly describes the nightmarish conditions of his confinement. Myers expertly presents the many facets of his protagonist's character and readers will find themselves feeling both sympathy and repugnance for him. Steve searches deep within his soul to prove to himself that he is not the "monster" the prosecutor presented him as to the jury. Ultimately, he reconnects with his humanity and regains a moral awareness that he had lost. Christopher Myers's superfluous black-and-white drawings are less successful. Their grainy, unfocused look complements the cinematic quality of the text, but they do little to enhance the story. Monster will challenge readers with difficult questions, to which there are no definitive answers. In some respects, the novel is reminiscent of Virginia Walter's Making Up Megaboy (DK Ink, 1998), another book enriched by its ambiguity. Like it, Monster lends itself well to classroom or group discussion. It's an emotionally charged story that readers will find compelling and disturbing.
Edward Sullivan, New York Public Library
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Walter-Dean-Myers/dp/0064407314/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292187663&sr=1-1

TeenReads.com

Harpercollins Juvenile Books
Young Adult
ISBN: 0060280778

FADE IN: Welcome to the world of Steve Harmon. He's sixteen years old and on trial for murder. Did he serve as a lookout in a drugstore robbery in which the owner was killed? Or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

To distance himself from the seriousness of his situation, Steve, a budding filmmaker, turns his story into a film --- starring, produced and directed by Steve himself. Interspersing day-to-day courtroom drama with entries from his journals, he effectively relates and explores the tension of the courtroom, the gut-wrenching terror of prison, the very real threat of being beaten and sexually assaulted, and the events that lead to his current predicament. Will Steve be acquitted? Is he the "monster" the prosecutor has portrayed him as? You be the judge.

Filled with ambiguity, this fast-paced nail-biter will have you at the edge of your seat unable to put it down. Perfect for teens and adults alike, MONSTER raises interesting questions about the path to crime and our judicial and prison systems.
   --- Reviewed by Tammy L. Currier
http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/0060280778.asp

Use in Library Setting:

During Black history month I would put this book on a display, along with other books written by various African American writers.  I would also use this book during a movie script teen workshop, so teens can see how a movie script is developed through the novel. 

Module 7: Son of the Mob: Hollywood Hustle by Gordon Korman

Bibliographic Citation: Korman, Gordon. Son of the Mob: Hollywood Hustle. New York: Hyperion Paperbacks, 2004. 

Plot Summary:

Vince is finally going to college and he makes sure to attend a college far from home, he mainly wants to distance himself from his father, a mobster, and the lifestyle his family lives.  However, leaving his that lifestyle doesn't look very easy, especially when his brother manages to switch one of his suitcases with one filled with cash.  When Vince gets to California, he checks out his dorm room and meets his new roommate, the son of an influential politician.  He soon learns that his roommate can't stand his father and Lucas doesn't understand why.  A politician makes a living in an honest way and people respect him, at least that's the way Lucas sees things.

One day, Lucas' brother arrives in California, as well as his father's friends.  So much for leaving that life behind him.  Lucas doesn't know why they would be in California.  Soon enough, Lucas learns why though.  Just when Lucas doubts his father and his people, Lucas learns that they are actually in California for a good reason and are trying to help a politician that recently went missing.  

My Impressions of the Book:

Ever wonder what the life of a mobster's son is like?  Well, this book attempts to portray just that.  I feel indifferent about this book, I don't think this book was very interesting and some of the events that took place just seemed too out there for me.  Nevertheless, I must admit I liked the ending of the book and the lesson learned.  So, Vince thought his father and his friends were the ones that were up to no good in Hollywood, but it turned out that a politician was the one that was up to no good.  Vince thought his roomate was lucky to have a politician for a father, a "regular" person that was decent.  Then Vince learns that his roomate hates his father and Vince can't figure out why, since he makes a decent living.  When the truth is revealed about Vince's dad and the politician, Vince learns a valuable lesson.  The lesson learned, don't always assume the worse of some people, just because they have done illegal things in the past doesn't mean they aren't capable of good deeds. 

Review(s) About the Book:

Amazon.com

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–Vince Luca, from Son of the Mob (Hyperion, 2002), returns, and this time he tries to get away from his family and "The Life" by moving to Santa Monica to start college as a film major. His high school girlfriend, Kendra, the daughter of the FBI agent who is determined to nab Vince's mob-boss father, is attending a nearby college, but they hardly see one another. When Luca mobsters from New York show up claiming they're "on vacation," Vince knows something is up, but isn't quite sure what until he attends a local rally for the concrete workers' union at the request of his roommate, Trey, the son of a powerful congressman. When Vince sees the so-called "tourists" in the audience, he assumes that they are there to make trouble. Meanwhile, he almost throws away his relationship with Kendra when he kisses a beautiful girl who has set him up so that Kendra's father can take pictures of them. He must also deal with his visiting mobster brother, who cheats some foreign students out of money, and with Trey's kleptomania. The somewhat complicated plot lines eventually come full circle and there is humor throughout the narrative. The pace is quick enough to keep reluctant readers interested. Korman avoids stereotypical caricatures by concentrating on relationships, particularly between fathers and sons. In the end, Vince comes into his own in this funny and somewhat over-the-top story.–Karen Hoth, Marathon Middle/High School, FL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786809191/thebookreport01

Reviewandreact.com

Fiction
268 pages
Just as he thought he was escaping his fathers vending machine business, WHAM! It catches back up with him in Hollywood!

Vince Luca tries to get as far as he can from his Mob boss father and his family business. So he leaves New York for film school in California. His room mate happens to be a well known congressmans son. In this novel the candidate for the leader of the union dissapears and the New York mob is in L.A. sounds like a bad combo...

In this novel Vince Luca is the main character. Some other important characters are his room mate Trey Sutter and his father Congressman Sutter, along with The New York mob.

The theme is that you can't judge a book by its cover, sometimes the bad guys do good deeds and the good guys get mixed up in some bad stuff.

This book really hasn't reminded me of any other books or movies I have ever seen. I would recomend it to everyone, it's fast paced and easy to read.
- Reviewed by Tanner D
http://www.reviewandreact.com/store/pdetails1627.php

Use in Library Setting:

I'm not sure where I would place this book aside from the actual bookshelf it belongs in.  I would recommend this book to teens that want to read a good book, I think the mobster aspect of it might attract some teens. However, I dont think I would use this book in a book talk or for a book club.  Could be displayed with books that are part of a series. 

Module 6: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Bibliographic Citation: DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2000.

Plot Summary:

India Opal has recently moved to a Naomi, Florida with her father, who happens to be a preacher.  On a summer day, Opal goes to the local grocery story, the Winn-Dixie supermarket, and instead of walking home with groceries, she goes home with a stray dog.  The dog doesn't have a family and he looks like he is in need of some love.  Opal names the dog Winn-Dixie and convinces her dad to let her keep the dog. 

Being new in town, Opal finds herself feeling lonely and missing her mother, whom she doesn't really remember because she left her when she was 4 years old.  Through Winn-Dixie, Opal finds the courage to finally ask her father about her mother, where Opal learns 10 things about her mother.  Winn-Dixie also helps Opal make new friends.  Soon enough, Opal is spending her summer days with the local librarian, listening to the many stories the librarian shares with her.  She also meets an older lady, Gloria, whom the neighborhood kids call a witch.  Opal also befriends an ex-con, Otis, who works in a pet store and agrees to let Opal work there for a collar for her dog.  Through her new friends, Opal learns that life isnt about feeling lonely and wishing for something/ soemone to come back to your life.  She learns that life is about loving what you have in life and sharing memories with good friends. 

My Impressions of the Book:

This has got to be one of the saddest books I have ever read.  I enjoyed reading this book and finished it in two days, but I really felt sad for the characters.  India Opal wants so desperately to have her mother in her life and it is sad that alcohol took that away from her.  I like that the book touched on an important subject, of people judging others without getting to know them or judging others by what they have done in the past.  This is a good lesson to learn, get to know people and don't always believe what you hear.  I liked Opal's innocence and the fact that she wasn't scared to make new friends, and she befriended people other's seemed to stay away from.  My favorite quote in the book was, "...you can't hold on to anything.  That you can only love what you've got while you've got it." (p. 167)  This quote was perfect and I think it made Opal realize she should be happy with the people that surround her and not worry so much about what she doesn't have in her life.   

Review(s) About the Book:

Barnes & Nobles Editorial Reviews

Children's Literature

Imagine naming a dog "Winn-Dixie" after the grocery store. Your own name causes kids to mock you "Lunch Meat!" That partly describes India Opal Buloni, a preacher's daughter, who tells us about her first summer in Naomi, Florida. Opal adopts the lovable, mangy dog whose personality changes her life and the lives of the quirky characters in this rural community. The kids think Gloria Dump is a witch but Opal discovers a kind, wrinkled old lady with bad eyesight who wins her friendship when she says, "Since I don't see so well, why don't you tell me everything about yourself so I can see you with my heart." Opal couldn't be happier. "I'd been waiting for a long time to tell some person everything about me, I did." A splendid story with heart, humor and hope. This is Newbery quality.
Reviewer: Jan Lieberman
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Because-of-Winn-Dixie/Kate-DiCamillo/e/9780763644321/?itm=1&USRI=because+of+winn+dixie

Barnes & Nobles Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

DiCamillo's debut novel, a 2001 Newbery Honor Book, percolates with heartfelt emotion and eccentric Southern color as superbly performed by Tony Award-winning actress Jones. Ten-year-old Opal, lonely in the Florida town where she has just moved with her preacher father, instantly takes a shine to a scraggly stray dog she encounters in the local Winn-Dixie supermarket. The pooch, named for their meeting place, becomes a trusted companion with whom Opal can share her thoughts and fears, and her hurt, confused feelings about the mother who left the family when Opal was three. Winn-Dixie is soon helping Opal in other ways, too. The dog's "smile" and sweet temperament act as ice breakers that allow Opal to meet a whole new group of friends who grow to be an unusual extended family. Jones imbues her depiction of Opal with a tone of youthful, hopeful wonder and skillfully transforms her voice to distinguish the other older, life-weathered characters. A Tennessee native, she never sounds hokey as she adopts a Southern accent, and she effortlessly slips into a compelling storytelling rhythm. This is a top-notch treatment of an award-winning tale. Ages 8-up. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Because-of-Winn-Dixie/Kate-DiCamillo/e/9780763644321/?itm=1&USRI=because+of+winn+dixie

Use in Library Setting:

I would use this book in a book talk for elementary students, like 4th and 5th graders.  I would also recommend this book to teachers because this would be a great book to read with a class.