Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

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(Paperback - Reissue)

Reader Rating: (226 ratings)

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  • Publisher: Random House Children's Books
  • Pub. Date: February 1987
  • ISBN-13: 9780440439882
  • Sales Rank: 1,248
  • Age Range: 9 to 12
  • 192pp
  • Edition Description: Reissue
 
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Synopsis

Island of the Blue Dolphins is the remarkable story of a strange and beautiful Indian girl who lives a serene and courageous life as the solitary survivor on a rocky island off the California coast.

The island looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it, blue dolphins swim, otters frolic in the surf, and sea elephants and birds abound. Once, many Indians lived on the island, too. But when the Russian arrived to prey on the wildlife surrounding the island, a war broke out, and many perished. The few that were left fled the island and sailed to the island of Santa Catalina in the east, but Karana, The Girl wih the Long Black Hair, and Ramo, her brother, were left behind.

Annotation

Left alone on a beautiful but isolated island off the coast of California, a young Indian girl spends eighteen years, not only merely surviving through her enormous courage and self-reliance, but also finding a measure of happiness in her solitary life.

"O'Dell tells the miraculous story of how Karana forages on land and
in the ocean, clothes herself (in a green-cormorant skirt and an
otter cape on special occasions), and secures shelter. Perhaps even
more startlingly, she finds strength and serenity living alone on the
island. This beautiful edition of Island of the Blue Dolphins is
enriched with 12 full-page watercolor paintings by Ted Lewin,
illustrator of more than 100 children's books, including Ali, Child
of the Desert. A gripping story of battling wild dogs and sea
elephants, this simply told, suspenseful tale of survival is also an
uplifting adventure of the spirit."

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Biography

Scott O'Dell was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 23, 1898. He attended Occidental College, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Stanford University, and University of Rome. He worked as a technical director for Paramount, a cameraman for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and a book editor of a Los Angeles newspaper before serving in the United States Air Force during World War II. The recipient of numerous book awards, he established the Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction in 1981. He died on October 15, 1989.

Customer Reviews

IOTBD. I am a six grade student in Glendale AZby Anonymous

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November 30, 2008: Island of the Blue Dolphin, by Scott O?Dell, was a great, interesting novel. The main character of the story is Karana. She is very kind, cunning, and brave. These straits help her in the story.

The story starts when Aleut hunters come to the island. When the hunters don?t pay the Indians, a fight breaks out and many people die. Then the ?White Men? come to the island and take the Indians away, but Karana?s brother, Ramo, forgets his spear. He goes back for the spear and misses the boat. Karana goes back to the island to be with her brother, and they start to live off the land. Her brother goes off to get a canoe, and is attacked by wild dogs and dies. She is all alone. After that Karana builds a house and gets a lot of pets. Then she is rescued by Captain Nideaver.

This story takes place in the 1600s in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California. I think the meaning of the story is to make the best of what you have. I like the story because it?s interesting, about the ocean, and written by my favorite author, Scott O?Dell. This story connects to me because I love the ocean and animals. I think this story connects to the world because it's about a kid from a different culture. I?ve also read related books like Zia and the Black Pearl, and My Side of the Mountain.

I Also Recommend: Zia, Black Pearl.

What would you do if you were stuck on an island isolated by yourself?by Anonymous

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November 12, 2008: That was the hardship Karana had to face in the Island of the Blue dolphins. She was a young indian girl who was left behind. She stayed on this island for tewnty years. Until catholics found her. While she was on this island she had many hardships. Like having to hunt for food, trying to stay away from the Wild dogs, havin to make shelter. She did this for twenty years. She used her indian ways to stay alive. She even had to hide when white men came back to hunt for otter. This book is a really good book if u like adventure and if you like to learn about indian life. Karana was a brave soul, she survived trough a rough time. With only a dog and a sea otter as her only companions. A couple months after she was found, she ended up dying. She died of illness that was brought by the whitemen. Catholic Priest barried her by a mission of the coast of california.


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