Because of Winn-Dixie characters

Also known as Opal

Appears from the start

A ten-year-old girl who has recently moved with her father to Naomi, Florida. Lonely in a new town and troubled by the mother who left when she was three, she is direct, curious, and eager for friendship. She claims a stray dog at the Winn-Dixie grocery store and names him after the place where they meet.

Appears from the start

A large, scruffy stray dog whom Opal rescues from a grocery store. His broad grin, wagging enthusiasm, and friendliness help her approach people she might otherwise never meet.

Also known as the Preacher

First appears in chapter 2

Opal's quiet, reserved father, the new preacher at the Open Arms Baptist Church. Opal thinks he retreats from difficult feelings, but he cares for her and reluctantly agrees that she may keep Winn-Dixie.

First appears in chapter 4

Opal's absent mother, who left the family when Opal was three. At Opal's insistence, the Preacher describes ten things about her so that Opal will have a clearer picture to remember and can recognize her if she ever returns.

First appears in chapter 6

The elderly librarian of the Herman W. Block Memorial Library. Winn-Dixie's unexpected appearance startles her into thinking a bear has returned, and the misunderstanding leads her to tell Opal about a real encounter from her younger days.

First appears in chapter 8

A serious girl about Opal's age who often looks unhappy and initially dismisses Opal and Winn-Dixie at the library. Opal sees her as unfriendly before learning anything about the sorrow behind her manner.

First appears in chapter 9

A nearly blind older woman who lives in a house surrounded by an overgrown garden. The Dewberry boys call her a witch, but she welcomes Opal and Winn-Dixie with humor, patience, and a willingness to listen.

First appears in chapter 9

A small, energetic girl who immediately admires Winn-Dixie and repeatedly asks Opal to bring him to her approaching birthday party.

First appears in chapter 9

Two brothers who trail Opal, tease her, and insist that Gloria Dump is a witch. Their behavior makes them seem like enemies, though Gloria urges Opal not to judge them too quickly.

First appears in chapter 12

The quiet manager of Gertrude's Pets, who hires Opal to sweep the store. He has an unusual gift for calming the animals by playing his guitar, and Opal initially knows little about why some adults in town distrust him.

First appears in chapter 12

The pet shop's resident parrot, named for the store's owner. She claims Winn-Dixie's head as a favorite perch and becomes part of the odd friendship surrounding Opal's job at the shop.

First appears in chapter 17

Miss Franny's great-grandfather, remembered through her family story as a boy who survived the Civil War and later made his fortune by inventing a candy that held both sweetness and sadness.