Dudu and I went to the Teacher’s College of Columbia University for a reading seminar in Oct. We met the author of Because of Winn-Dixie and read a few chapters guided by the staff:

We were asked to prepare for the seminar by reading the book together. Dudu is only a first grader and this is a rather difficult chapter book. So I borrowed the DVD from the library and we watched the movie together. Then I read to a chapter to her every night. From time to time, I do let her read a few paragraphs.
The senimar began with some introduction of some research results for reading. There are three levels of skills in reading:
Decoding
Comprehension
Critical Thinking/Abstract Reasoning

I realized that I focused too much on decoding, maybe some comprehension and ignored critical thinking previously for Dudu’s reading. I would be happy that she can sound difficult words out, making some sense of the content.
After we came back I continue to read this book with Dudu every night. We tried to apply the mechanics we learned from the senimar. I prepared Dudu a big notebook so she can write her thoughts about the book.
In the beginning of the book, Opal met Winn-Dixie, her dog in the grocery store.
Dudu:” How did Winn-Dixie came to the grocery store?”
Me:”Do you think Winn-Dixie had a home at that time?”
Dudu:”No. Because he is dirty. If he had a home, his owner would have washed him.”
Me:”Do you think he ever had a home?”
Dudu:”No.”
Me:”Can a puppy survive without a home?”
Dudu:”Oh. He had a home and a Mama when he was born.”
Me:”Can you guess how he get lost?”
Dudu:”He didn’t listen to his Mama. That is how he get lost.”
Me:”Winn-Dixie get lost again later in the book. How he got lost that time?”
Dudu:”Oh, he must have got lost in the thunderstorm. He is afraid of thunderstorm.”
Later on, she wrote this on her notebook(with spelling errors):
“He had a home that he was born and then thar was a thandstowm Winn-Dixie run awawy from home.”

And there is a book Dudu brought home to school, which is very simple but fully of details that you can discover something new everytime you read it: