Because of Winn-Dixie
Recommended. Age: 9+. A Catholic review of this book for parents.
Our review
A lonely girl and a smiling dog gather a whole town of lonely people around one table. Opal learns that everyone carries a sorrow, and that kindness, not judgment, is the answer. Her father is a preacher, and faith, church and prayer are treated with respect. The one reservation is a mother who left over drink, which some children will find heavy.
For parents
Read it aloud from 7, and alone from 9. Common Sense Media says 9 and up. The sad parts are a mother who left and a drowned boy, told gently. Ask why Opal's father prays for his friends. Ask what the Littmus Lozenge means: how can something be sweet and sad at once?