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We are introduced to our main character, India Opal

Buloni and Winn

Dixie, her newly rescued dog. The setting is a grocery store.

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Opal brings Winn-Dixie home to meet her father, the Preacher.. She explains Winn-Dixie as a “less fortunate” knowing her father raised her to

help others in need and might be persuaded to offer Winn

-Dixie a home. Opal

describes her father, the first of several times, as a turtle hiding inside its shell.

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Opal talks to Winn-

Dixie about family, her mother, and the Preacher. She compares Winn-Dixie to herself, both having lost family. Opal

asks the Preacher to tell her

ten things about her mother, because she is now ten

years old,

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Opal learns of ten, mostly endearing, things about her mom Some of the traits

also describe Opal.

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Winn-Dixie is welcomed in a surprising way by the The

Open Arms Baptist Church, a very unusual church. Opal begins to think about

being lonely.

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Opal meets Miss Franny Block at the local library. Miss Franny's father gave her the library as a birthday present when she was little.

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Opal spends time with Franny Block. Miss Franny tells the story of the bear. Opal and Winn-Dixie have made their first friend in Naomi, Florida!

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Opal gets a job at Gertrude’s Pets in order to buy a leash and collar for Winn-Dixie. She is invited to a birthday party in September. Winn Dixie models for Otis and Opal how friendships begin. Opal is not feeling as lonely now

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We meet Stevie & Dunlap Newberry.  Opal

makes another unlikely friend, Gloria Dump. Gloria has poor vision and needs Opal to tell her everything about herself so she can “see” with her heart.

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Gloria reassures Opal that she can visit her anytime (and the wait-and-see tree

they planted) and that she will not be going anywhere.

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A thunderstorm lets Opal know that Winn-Dixie is very fearful of

thunderstorms, an important fact that will re-appear later in the story.

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Opal discovers that Otis has a great talent for playing his guitar, and soothing the pets. Otis has great empathy for the caged animals in the store and admits he was in jail at one time.

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Opal & Winn Dixie's favorite place is Gloria Dump’s house. Dunlap and Stevie threaten to tell the preacher about her working with a criminal.

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Gloria’s reveals a  past struggle with alcohol with an emphasis on

learning from your mistakes and not judging from the past. A “bottle” tree

in Gloria’s backyard symbolizes her mistakes and a way to keep the ghosts away.

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Franny Block starts to share a story about her great grandfather

and his experiences in the Civil War.

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Littmus W. Block is Ms. Franny's great grandfather. His house was burned down by Yankees. His mom & sisters died of a fever. Dad died in the war. Opal wonders how Littmus will live his life now.

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Miss Franny explains how Littmus survived despite all of his personal losses. He invented a candy that, though

sweet tasting, also had a secret ingredient, sorrow. Those that had experienced sorrow could especially taste it in the lozenge. Amanda Wilkinson had a

secret sorrow that Opal wonders about. Opal knows she has experienced sorrow.

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Opal shares her lozenges with Gloria and the Preacher and hears their sad memories. Opal learns that Amanda lost her five year old brother, Carson, in a drowning accident one year ago. Opal feels more compassion for

Amanda now that she knows her sorrow

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Opal shares a Littmus Lozenge with Otis, causing him to cry and reveal why he was jailed. He hit a police officer who told him to stop playing music outside.

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Opal tells Gloria what she learned about Otis and Amanda.  While reading to Gloria and

thinking of Otis’ sadness, Opal comes up with the idea of a party.

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The party begins. Gloria & Opal serve triangle egg salad sandwiches & Dump Punch. Littmus Lozenges and pickles were brought by guests. The backyard is lit with candles.

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The party continues and Opal introduces the guest of honor, Otis, to the other guests.Thunder is mentioned and rain begins

to fall.

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A storm begins and Winn

-Dixie is missing. Opal is upset that she did not

protect him from his fear and leaves the party with the Preacher to look for him.

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Opal lists ten things to know about Winn Dixie. The Preacher cries when he remembers Opal’s mom leaving and realizes

that Winn-Dixie has left too. He tells Opal how much he loved her mother. The

author reveals how much the Preacher truly cherishes Opal. The two decide to

keep searching for Winn Dixie.

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Opal and the Preacher return to Gloria’s house and discover Winn

-Dixie hidden under the bed and never left the house at all. The party continues. Opal feels

great happiness.

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The book concludes with Opal walking to the mistake tree and saying her heart’s

“full all the way up”. A friendship begins with Dunlap Dewberry. The party continues as the guests sing together.