Fiction. 'Because of Winn - Dixie' is a work of fiction. It tells a heartwarming story about a young girl, Opal, and her dog Winn - Dixie. The characters and the situations they encounter, such as the friendships Opal forms in the town, are made - up. The town itself is also a fictional setting, designed to create a backdrop for the story's themes of friendship, loss, and family. It's a great example of fictional literature that has the power to touch readers' hearts.
It can be classified as historical fiction. The story often references and reflects the social and cultural aspects of a particular historical period, giving it that genre classification.