Battle of the Books: Grade 3

Because of Winn-Dixie

Kate DiCamillo


Lonely Opal has moved to Naomi, Florida, with her father, and doesn't know what to expect. But when she adopts Winn-Dixie, a dog at the grocery store, she makes some unusual friends and lets go of her sadness. Newbery Honor Book, 2001, andan Audie Award finalist for 2002. The movie stars Dave Matthews, Jeff Daniels, and Cicely Tyson. "Percolates with heartfelt emotion and eccentric Southern color." 2 Compact Discs, 2 hours and 28 minutes long.
Date Published:

Lonely Opal has moved to Naomi, Florida, with her father, and doesn't know what to expect. But when she adopts Winn-Dixie, a dog at the grocery store, she makes some unusual friends and lets go of her sadness. Newbery Honor Book, 2001, andan Audie Award finalist for 2002. The movie stars Dave Matthews, Jeff Daniels, and Cicely Tyson. "Percolates with heartfelt emotion and eccentric Southern color." 2 Compact Discs, 2 hours and 28 minutes long.

Date Published:

BECAUSE OF WINN - DIXIE


After moving to a new town, ten-year-old Opal makes her first friend when she happens upon a lovable stray dog. Opal and the scruffy, fun-loving pooch form a special bond that works magic on her reserved dad and their eccentric neighbors over the course of one unforgettable summer.
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Because of Winn-Dixie /

DiCamillo, Kate,


"With a new foreword from the author"--Page 4 of cover. Includes discussion questions. Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie.
Date Published:2021

Catching a storyfish

Harrington, Janice N.,


Keet hated leaving Alabama, and the only good thing about it is that she will live near her beloved grandfather, but at school the kids tease her about her accent until bubbly Keet does not want to open her mouth, slowly, though, while fishing with her grandfather, she learns the art of listening, and gradually she makes her first new friend, until her grandfather has a stroke and Keet begins to tell him stories, and in the process finds her voice.
Date Published:2016

Keet hated leaving Alabama, and the only good thing about it is that she will live near her beloved grandfather, but at school the kids tease her about her accent until bubbly Keet does not want to open her mouth, slowly, though, while fishing with her grandfather, she learns the art of listening, and gradually she makes her first new friend, until her grandfather has a stroke and Keet begins to tell him stories, and in the process finds her voice.

Date Published:2016

A Handful of Stars

Lord, Cynthia.


When her blind dog slips his collar, twelve-year old Lily meets Salma Santiago, a young Hispanic girl whose migrant family are in Maine for the blueberry-picking season, and, based partly on their mutual love of dogs, the two forge a friendship while painting bee boxes for Lily's grandfather--but as the Blueberry Queen pageant approaches Lily and Selma are confronted with some of the hard truths of prejudice and migrant life.
Date Published:2017

When her blind dog slips his collar, twelve-year old Lily meets Salma Santiago, a young Hispanic girl whose migrant family are in Maine for the blueberry-picking season, and, based partly on their mutual love of dogs, the two forge a friendship while painting bee boxes for Lily's grandfather--but as the Blueberry Queen pageant approaches Lily and Selma are confronted with some of the hard truths of prejudice and migrant life.

Date Published:2017

I, Rock : A Geology Tale /

Slivensky, Katie,


Rock tells his sensational, sometimes harrowing, sometimes hilarious, geological tale to a group of eager students. From his humble beginnings beneath Earth’s crust, to a volcano blast that propelled him onto land, to the storms and earthquakes and dinosaur encounters and deep-sea adventures that finally bring him to the bottom of a student’s shoe, come discover what makes Rock rock!
Date Published:2025

Nurse, soldier, spy : the story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War hero /

Moss, Marissa.


A story of a nineteen-year-old woman who disguised herself as a man to avoid an unwanted marriage and who distinguished herself as a male nurse during the Civil War, and later as a spy for the Union Army.
Date Published:2011

The right word : Roget and his thesaurus /

Bryant, Jennifer.


Peter Roget, the man who penned the first and most famous of all thesauruses, grew up a shy, intellectually precocious child who loved ideas, and words, and lists. “The lists helped him remember his lessons. They also gave him something to do when Mother peppered him with questions. 'Mama, I’m fine.’ Although to be honest, Peter thought fine wasn’t quite the right word.” Later he was influenced by a scientist named Linnaeus. Still later, he found himself considering how wonderful it would be to be able to choose from among a list of words to find just the right one to express what he was thinking and feeling. So he started working on what would eventually become his thesaurus (Greek for “treasure house”). He was also a doctor, and a husband, and a father. And still shy. But he was eager to share his love of words and ideas with the world. Jen Bryant’s lively picture book account of Roget is full of right words, carefully chosen and delightfully combined. Melissa Sweet’s mixed-media collage art has myriad intricacies and engaging details to pour over, including elements from Roget’s notebooks and words from the first edition of his thesaurus. She also illustrates scenes of Roget’s life drawn from Bryant’s narrative with a combination of wit and sensitivity. .
Date Published:2014

Peter Roget, the man who penned the first and most famous of all thesauruses, grew up a shy, intellectually precocious child who loved ideas, and words, and lists. “The lists helped him remember his lessons. They also gave him something to do when Mother peppered him with questions. 'Mama, I’m fine.’ Although to be honest, Peter thought fine wasn’t quite the right word.” Later he was influenced by a scientist named Linnaeus. Still later, he found himself considering how wonderful it would be to be able to choose from among a list of words to find just the right one to express what he was thinking and feeling. So he started working on what would eventually become his thesaurus (Greek for “treasure house”). He was also a doctor, and a husband, and a father. And still shy. But he was eager to share his love of words and ideas with the world. Jen Bryant’s lively picture book account of Roget is full of right words, carefully chosen and delightfully combined. Melissa Sweet’s mixed-media collage art has myriad intricacies and engaging details to pour over, including elements from Roget’s notebooks and words from the first edition of his thesaurus. She also illustrates scenes of Roget’s life drawn from Bryant’s narrative with a combination of wit and sensitivity. .

Date Published:2014

Sarah, Plain and Tall

MacLachlan, Patricia.


When their father invites a mail-order bride to come live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna are captivated by their new mother and hope that she will stay.
Date Published:

Upside-Down Magic

Mlynowski, Sarah.,


Nory Horace is nine years old. She's resourceful, she's brave, she likes peanut butter cookies. Also, she's able to transform into many different animals. Unfortunately, Nory's shape-shifting talent is a bit wonky. And when she flunks out of her own father's magic academy, Nory's forced to enter public school, where she meets a group of kids whose magic is, well, different.
Date Published:2016

Wildheart : the daring adventures of John Muir /

Bertagna, Julie,


The Wild Boy of Dunbar -- Let's go west! -- Genius John in a brave new world -- A terrible darkness made me see -- I will walk one thousand miles -- The mountains are calling me! -- Companions in peril -- The wild man who changed the world -- As the round Earth rolls -- John Muir's chronology and legacy. John Muir led an adventurous life, starting with his wild and playful boyhood in Scotland and culminating in his legendary exploits in America, where he became an inventor, an explorer, a bold champion of wilderness—and even made friends with a president! His heart was always in the outdoors and he aimed to experience all he could. Most importantly, though, John Muir told the world about the wonders of nature. His words made a difference and inspired people in many countries to start protecting planet Earth— and they still do.
Date Published:2019

The Wild Boy of Dunbar -- Let's go west! -- Genius John in a brave new world -- A terrible darkness made me see -- I will walk one thousand miles -- The mountains are calling me! -- Companions in peril -- The wild man who changed the world -- As the round Earth rolls -- John Muir's chronology and legacy. John Muir led an adventurous life, starting with his wild and playful boyhood in Scotland and culminating in his legendary exploits in America, where he became an inventor, an explorer, a bold champion of wilderness—and even made friends with a president! His heart was always in the outdoors and he aimed to experience all he could. Most importantly, though, John Muir told the world about the wonders of nature. His words made a difference and inspired people in many countries to start protecting planet Earth— and they still do.

Date Published:2019