Because of Winn-Dixie

An oldie but a goodie. There are few perfect books in the world, but in my opinion this is one of them. Kate DiCamillo is my favorite living children's book author, and I'm fond of all her books for different reasons, but I keep coming back to Because of Winn-Dixie again and again--an exquisite little gem of a story about a lonely girl, her papa ("the preacher"), a lovable stray dog, and the bond that grows between us as we learn each others' stories. So simple, so beautifully tinged with both sadness and joy. Perfect.