Opal, a lonely young girl (AnnaSophia Robb), adopts an orphaned dog and names him Winn-Dixie after the supermarket where she first spotted him creating havoc and reducing the store manager to tears. The dog helps Opal makes friends in the small Florida town where she's just moved with her father (Jeff Daniels), a minister.

The bond between the girl and her special companion set Opal on a summer of discovery, as she discovers the eccentric townspeople and wangles a job at a pet store in order to buy Winn-Dixie a collar. She discovers the secrets behind the town, and the townspeople, who are brought together when an emergency occurs.

Based on Kate DiCamillo's 2001 Newbery Honor winning novel.