Comparison
Because of Winn-Dixie vs Refugee
How Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo and Refugee by Alan Gratz compare on reading level, grade placement, curriculum overlap, and shared themes — derived from primary-source citations on each book’s ReadingList page.
Because of Winn-Dixie
Kate DiCamillo
- Lexile
- 610L
- Grades
- 3–5
- Published
- 2000
- Pages
- 182
- Genre
- Middle Grade Fiction
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At a glance
- Lexile differential
- 190L (Because of Winn-Dixie: 610L · Refugee: 800L)
- Grade-range overlap
- Grades 5–5
- Year-of-publication gap
- 17 years (2000 vs 2017)
- Page-count gap
- 170 pages (182 vs 352)
- Shared curricula
- 64 of 127
- Shared themes
- 0 of 10
Reading-level difference
The 190-point Lexile gap puts Refugee roughly a meaningful step harder than Because of Winn-Dixie. Lexile differences below 50L typically reflect equivalent decoding load (sentence length + word frequency); differences above 200L cross developmental reading-band boundaries. More on how Lexile measures work →
Curriculum overlap
Both books appear in 64 shared curriculum frameworks:
Themes
Only Because of Winn-Dixie
loss · friendship · mother absence · small-town community · second chances
Only Refugee
refugees · survival · family · displacement · empathy
Common questions
- Which is harder to read, Because of Winn-Dixie or Refugee?
- Refugee (Lexile 800) is the harder read — 190L higher than Because of Winn-Dixie (Lexile 610). Lexile differential ≥150L typically means a 1-2 grade-level difference. Both are in the 3-5 grade band, though.
- What grade level is Because of Winn-Dixie vs Refugee?
- Because of Winn-Dixie: 3-5 grade range. Refugee: 5-9 grade range. Both assigned within the 3-5 band. Specific district and curriculum vary; see each book's page for the full assignment history.
- Which is more commonly taught, Because of Winn-Dixie or Refugee?
- Both Because of Winn-Dixie and Refugee are in the top-10 most-cited books on ReadingList.school across US school assignments and curricula. Each book's individual page (Because of Winn-Dixie, Refugee) lists every tracked assignment with source citation, so you can see which has broader curriculum reach in your specific region.
- Should I read Because of Winn-Dixie or Refugee first?
- If they're in the same school year, follow the syllabus order (usually chronological by publication or grouped by theme). If reading independently: start with the shorter or lower-Lexile title (Because of Winn-Dixie) to build context, then move to the other. Both titles often appear together on AP / IB reading lists as paired study.
Get these books
Because of Winn-Dixie
Kate DiCamillo
Where to find this book
Audible: many assigned titles are included with a membership, and listening starts right away, with no wait for delivery. Offers vary by account.
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.
Refugee
Alan Gratz
Where to find this book
Audible: many assigned titles are included with a membership, and listening starts right away, with no wait for delivery. Offers vary by account.
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.