Chapter 1 Summary

Pair lost human souls with one lost canine soul, and the result is an inspiring tale of resilience and resolve. India Opal Buloni moves to Naomi, Florida, when her father, the Preacher, is called to lead the Open Arms Baptist Church of Naomi. Opal knows no one and feels sad and lonely at having left her friends behind. The characters she meets along the way as a result of her new best friend, Winn-Dixie, proves that family is only as far as your nearest friend.

India Opal Buloni enters the grocery store to buy a few items for her father and comes home with a dog. Just after walking into the local Winn-Dixie, Opal hears the store manager screaming about a dog in the grocery store. Tons of vegetables roll all over the floor, including tomatoes, green peppers, and onions.

Then she saw...