Product Description

This is the story of Karana, the Indian girl who lived alone for years on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Year after year, she watched one season pass into another and waited for a ship to take her away.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49631 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-02
• Format: Large Print
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 223 pages

Review
"It is not only an unusual adventure of survival, but also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery."
-- School Library Journal (School Library Journal )

Customer Reviews

Still a true classic
This classic was voted one of the top 10 American children's books of the last 200 years by the Children's Literature Association. Although modern readers may find it a little dated in some ways and the pacing a little slow, it's still an absorbing and beautiful story about how a resourceful Indian girl survives alone on an island off the California coast for 18 years.

The story is a lot like Robinson Crusoe only told from the girl's point of view, but that's okay. (Coincidently Crusoe was rescued after 17 years on his island, if I remember correctly).

The book is still worth reading today by young readers and O'Dell does a great job of telling this resourceful young woman's story. The story was inspired by true events, when the girl's people were evacuated from the island of Ghalas-At and she jumped ship to stay behind with her abandoned brother (who tragically dies shortly thereafter, leaving, Karana, the girl, all alone).

Overall, still a great classic and worth your child's time and effort.

A Review by Courtney A. in Mrs. Solomon's 5th Grade Class
"Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made."
Roger Caras

"The poor dog, in life the firmest friend,
`The first to welcome, foremost to defend'."
Lord Byron

"A dog is the only thing on this earth that loves you more than he loves himself."
Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw)

Karana the main character is a lonely girl on an island by herself. Her people go on a ship with the whites and her brother got left behind so Karana went back to save him. Then he dies so she was there on the island by herself trying to defeat the wild dogs. She makes do with what she has using the techniques she learned from her people. Karana does things that her people thought evil spirits would attack for (like girls making hunting stuff.) Along the way she makes a good friendship with a dog that she tried to kill. The dog then stayed next to her protecting her from anything that could harm her. She also had to prepare for the Aleuts if they ever came back. The Aleuts are otter hunters. Karana made many animal friends to keep her company till she thought her people would come back for her.

This story was based on a true story. The Island of the Blue Dolphins was lived on by the Indians in 2000 B.C. and wasn't found by the whites' until1602. In 1602 a Spanish explorer Sebastian Vizcaino set sail for the Philippines when he spotted the island. The girl that the story was written about was named Robinson Crusoe. She is known as The Lost Women of San Nicolas. Records show that a man found her 18 years later in a hut with a dog after she jumped off a boat. Farther Gonzales heard that her brother died and she had a dog. San Nicolas is 75 miles southwest of Los Angles. That is where Scott O'Dell got his information from.

His real name is Odell Gabriel Scott and he was born in 1898. He died in 1989 at the age of 91.He lived in New York and when he was born he was born in California. Odell wrote 26 books for kids and three books for adults.

Don't let the fact that Karana is a girl fool you. This book is action packed, full of excitement, and a heart warming story about a person and a canine friendship.


BY: Courtney A. in Mrs. Solomon's 5th grade at Bahweting School, Age 11

Island of the Blue Dolphins
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O' Dell was the best book that I have ever read. I just couldn't put it down. It was filled with drama. I do not recommend this book for anyone under the age of 8. They might not understand the story. A teenage girl, Karana, living with her Native American tribe on an island off the coast of California experiences some big changes. This happens when some Russians come to the island and offer to take the tribe to the mainland. Karana's brother is left behind so she jumps off the ship and swims to shore. They live together happily until her brother is eaten by a pack of wild dogs. Karana must now defend herself. She chooses to go to the mainland when the Russians come back to pick her up. She lives the rest of her life on the sandy beaches of California.