Island of the Blue Dolphins
Categories: Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags: Animals, Award Winner, Birds, Dogs, Otters, Sad, Scott O’Dell
Our rating: 
After Karana’s tribe is decimated by greedy otter hunters, they leave the Island of the Blue Dolphins on a ship. Karana, however, is left behind while chasing after her younger brother. The rest of the story is about her struggle for survival as she looks for a way to escape and join her tribe.
The author’s note in the back of this book tells the true story of Karana, a woman who arrived at a mission in California and befriended a priest there shortly before her death. Scott O’Dell states that little is known of her story, and that it intrigued him enough to write one. While well-written and very enjoyable, Island of the Blue Dolphins doesn’t strike me as Scott O’Dell’s best work, nor as his worst. Zia is the sequel.
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Rebekah said:
I remember enjoying this story. It has some sad parts, but all in all it’s a very believable tale. I particularly like when she befriends one of the wild dogs on the island. And then, when the otter hunters come back . . .(You’ll have to read it to find out what happens.)
jcsoblonde said:
oh I LOVE this book…fell in love with it when I heard it on tape when I was little…bought it a couple years back…its an all-time favorite!