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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Loved it! It is like breathing fresh air and feeling salt water spray on my face through the book. The main characters strength and resilience is inspiring. And the historical note at the end of the book brings the magic to life.
Reread for fun. Completely forgot this novel is based loosely on a historical woman, whose language was never understood. Lonely but inspiring, especially for young girls.
For a more personal note on this book, go to more blog: mybookishadventures.blogspot.com.
Karana and her people live on a small rocky island off the coast of present day California called the Island of the Blue Dolphins. They are happy and peaceful until a tribe of Aleuts arrives one day on a Russian ship to hunt sea otter. When conflict arises, many of Karana's tribe are killed and this leads to their decision to leave the island. As the tribe is boarding the ship that will take them away, Karana's little brother slips away to find his forgotten spear. It is not until the ship has set sail that Karana sees Ramo standing on the shore. She cannot leave him alone on the island, so with the promise that the ship will return ringing in her ears, she dives into the ocean and returns to care for her brother.
This decision is the beginning of many years of isolation as Karana faces the dangers of the island and grows into womanhood with the animals of the island as her companions. Island is filled with scenes of shocking danger as Karana battles the ocean and its creatures for survival. She also learns to respect the beauty and power of nature even more and gradually comes to see many of the animals as her friends with distinct personalities. Her greatest friend is the dog, Rontu, whom she tames. Though she is happy, Karana is still plagued by times of lonliness when she longs to speak with other people and enjoy their society.
Some of the most poignant scenes in the book are when Karana mourns the loss of her animal friends, and O'Dell's descriptions of death and Karana's feelings are heartbreaking.
On reflection, Island of the Blue Dolphins is just as engaging and emotional as it was the first time I read it over two decades ago. I was immediately drawn into Karana's world, and I admired her determination to survive and to find happiness in what could be a depressing situation. The book is never maudlin or melodramatic, and it will continue to stand the test of time. (Grades 4 through 8)
Karana and her people live on a small rocky island off the coast of present day California called the Island of the Blue Dolphins. They are happy and peaceful until a tribe of Aleuts arrives one day on a Russian ship to hunt sea otter. When conflict arises, many of Karana's tribe are killed and this leads to their decision to leave the island. As the tribe is boarding the ship that will take them away, Karana's little brother slips away to find his forgotten spear. It is not until the ship has set sail that Karana sees Ramo standing on the shore. She cannot leave him alone on the island, so with the promise that the ship will return ringing in her ears, she dives into the ocean and returns to care for her brother.
This decision is the beginning of many years of isolation as Karana faces the dangers of the island and grows into womanhood with the animals of the island as her companions. Island is filled with scenes of shocking danger as Karana battles the ocean and its creatures for survival. She also learns to respect the beauty and power of nature even more and gradually comes to see many of the animals as her friends with distinct personalities. Her greatest friend is the dog, Rontu, whom she tames. Though she is happy, Karana is still plagued by times of lonliness when she longs to speak with other people and enjoy their society.
Some of the most poignant scenes in the book are when Karana mourns the loss of her animal friends, and O'Dell's descriptions of death and Karana's feelings are heartbreaking.
On reflection, Island of the Blue Dolphins is just as engaging and emotional as it was the first time I read it over two decades ago. I was immediately drawn into Karana's world, and I admired her determination to survive and to find happiness in what could be a depressing situation. The book is never maudlin or melodramatic, and it will continue to stand the test of time. (Grades 4 through 8)
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This was a nostalgia read. It still hits like it did in 4th grade but now I’m asking myself what business Scott O’Dell had writing from the perspective of an indigenous teen girl. 😂 anyway, it doesn’t hold up under a lot of scrutiny but it was enjoyable.
Newbery Challenge 132/412. 4.5 stars. I remember this as a standout book in my young bookworm life. It didn’t disappoint on the reread as an adult. It is told in what I am coming to find as Scott O’Dell’s signature narrative style, slightly dry and lacking some emotional connection. Hence the 4.5 stars. I would have liked to feel more of the ups and downs of the protagonist’s life on the island. This book became massively more amazing when you read the author’s note at the end and find out it was based on a true story. Wow! Highly recommend.
First off I loved this book when I read it as a kid and I had a great time rereading it. I of course wish this classic came from the voice of an indigenous person but I really do enjoy the novel for what it is. Learning about the background of Juana Maria it makes sense why O'Dell had to take specific fictional liberties. Something I appreciated about the book when I was a kid and appreciate even more now is the idea of a completely self-reliant female protagonist. I loved that it wasn't like Pocahontas with a white savior complex. I love reading about the fictionalized possible ways of living on the island through her interaction with the animals and the way she creates shelter and weapons. I love when she saves Rontu and the otter and the way she used the different resources on the island. I think it's really funny to read other adults' reviews of this book because they seem to completely forget that this was written for children. I saw so many people say that Karana was depicted as dumb or infantilized, I'm sorry but do people expect kids to be reading at a Shakespeare level all of the sudden? I think that more books need to be introduced to school-aged children that center on POC characters and are written by POC authors, however, I think at least for me in elementary school it was really cool to read about a strong woman as well as not a deeply racist characature of a native person. Which is ultimately shocking coming from a man in the 1960s.
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This was my favorite book as a child, so I was thrilled when my 7yo son agreed to read it with me. The language is definitely a stretch for younger children, but it was wonderful to talk through. We happened to go on a family trip to Hawaii during our months reading through the book, which made it more real to him! Still a classic book.
My 9 year old says this book deserves only 4 stars because it is not a book she can read over and over and over because of how sad it is. But she is glad Karana found a little happiness on the island and wasn’t so lonely.
I love survival stories. This is one of the best.