Review Detail

Scott O'Dell has built up a loyal following of fans who devour his historical fiction books for young adults. Island of the Blue Dolphins was first published in 1960 and it stands the test of time as a true classic.

It's the story of an Indian girl who lived alone on an island after being left behind when her people migrated. It's based on the true story of The Lost Woman of San Nicolas, who lived alone on an island from 1835 to 1853.

Karana, the heroine, originally stayed behind because her brother was going to miss the boat taking her people away. She didn't want him to be alone on the island, though she would never have imagined she would be waiting for another boat for so long. Her brother dies when some wild dogs attack him and she is left completely alone for years.

Many things happen to her while she lives alone on the island and you find yourself developing an arresting picture of this incredibly brave girl as she learns from her experiences. She learns to do things on her own that women in her tribe had been forbidden to do and she becomes completely self reliant.

You can feel her loneliness when she adopts one of the wild dogs and then many other creatures on the island. Her brief relationship with another Indian girl who comes to the island with some hunters (who Karana hides from, since they are the same men who killed her father) is both touching and sad.

This book won a Newberry Award and truly deserves a place on your bookshelf. Teachers would also find it useful when studying Native American culture in the classroom.