Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo
ISBN: 0763644323
Publisher: Candlewick, 2009

Opal moves to a new town with her father when he takes the position of preacher at the Open Arms Baptist Church of Naomi in Florida.  They live together in a trailer as family, best-friends, and strangers.  Opal's mother abandoned them, and Opal's father refuses to talk about it.  Her ghost creates a kind of barrier between Opal and her father.  But one day, Opal finds the cure to all her problems: a dog, who she names Winn-Dixie.  The dog has an amazing talent for smiling with his teeth.  He also has an unnerving habit of getting into trouble, and turning that trouble into a blessing.  As 10-year-old Opal and Winn-Dixie explore their new life together, they learn about the past and make new friends in their present.