Books for Fans of Because of Winn-Dixie

Follow regular kids in unusual situations as they struggle with truth, loss, and overcoming life's obstacles.

Amalee by Dar Williams
A young girl's family is made up of her father and his four goofy friends, but when her dad gets sick, Amalee's whole makeshift world is put to the test.

Arthur, for the Very First Time by Patricia MacLachlan
Ten-year-old Arthur's reality is turned upside down when he arrives at his great-aunt and great-uncle's farm to find them speaking French to their chicken and climbing in and out of windows.

Eli and the Swamp Man by Charlotte Watson Sherman
Eight-year-old Eli decides to bicycle from Seattle to Alaska to find his father, who left after his parents' divorce. But first Eli has to get through the swamp, home to the dreaded Swamp Man.

Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath
Eleven-year-old Primrose Squarp lives in a small fishing village complete with lots of interesting personalities, but lacking the two people who matter most.

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
An orphaned boy becomes a legend when he outruns, out-hits, and outwits everyone in the town he has adopted as his own. But all the while, what he really wants is for someone to adopt him.

Sable by Karen Hesse
When 10-year-old Tate finds a stray dog, it's love at first sight — but not for her parents. Now it's up to Tate to prove what her new pet is worth.

Secret Letters from 0 to 10 by Susie Morgenstern
Ten-year-old Ernest lives a flat, colorless life. Enter Victoria, the new girl in class, who bulldozes her way into his life. Much to Ernest's surprise, he likes it.

Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan
Thirteen-year-old Jake Semple does not have a good reputation. Now that he's been kicked out of school — again, the only place that will take him in just might be more outrageous than he is.

The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
Four unusual kids take turns telling the story of their 6th-grade year and the remarkable victories they hoped to achieve.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
On a long car trip from Ohio to Idaho, 13-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle entertains her grandparents with outrageous stories, but underneath lies Sal's own story of love, loss, and learning to forgive.