Island of the Blue Dolphins
Scott O'Dell's Newbery Medal-winning classic is a gripping tale of survival, strength, and courage. Based on the true story of a Nicoleño Indian girl living alone on an island off the coast of California, Island of the Blue Dolphins has captivated readers for generations.
On San Nicolas Island, dolphins flash in the surrounding blue waters, sea otter play in the vast kelp beds, and sea elephants loll on the stony beaches. Here, in the early 1800s, a girl named Karana spent eighteen years alone.
Karana had to contend with the ferocious pack of wild dogs that killed her younger brother, constantly guard against Aleutian sea otter hunters, and maintain a precarious food supply. Her courage, self-reliance, and grit has inspired millions of readers in this breathtaking adventure.
As Smithsonian magazine put it: "For kids all over the country, reading the book in language arts classes, Karana is a powerful symbol of their growing independence. Through her, they can imagine themselves making their way in the world alone--and thriving."
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Community Reviews
Until I picked up this book, I had never heard of the Lost Woman of San Nicolas. I love that Scott O'Dell gave her a story. We don't know if this is how it happened, but we also don't know that it didn't happen in this way. It was a touching story, and many times I wanted to cry for Karana. She endured abandonment, heartache, loneliness, fear, and pain, and she did only with animals for company. What must that be like? To live without human company. Would become connected to nature and animals, the way our heroine did, or would it drive us mad? I can't say how I would handle it, and I pray I never have to find out.
For all that it was beautiful, haunting, and sad, this is not the kind of story I generally like to read. I'm glad I picked it up, and for the things I learned from it, but I like a more fleshed out story. The writing was very simple, understandable since it's meant to be a children's book. I liked it enough to finish it, but I prefer stories that are more fleshed out, and offer more content and character development.
Not long before we finished, I read that it was based on a true story, and a bit about the real woman. I have to admit, that kind of detracted from the value of the story for me. At the end of the book, it basically shifts over into that real-life story, and we all lost interest at that point. Fortunately, it was the last chapter. And it didn't mar the overall experience of the book.
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