Island of the Blue Dolphins
by: Scott O'Dell
Price: $6.99
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Amazon.com Review:
Scott O'Dell won the Newbery Medal for Island of the Blue Dolphins in 1961, and in 1976 the Children's Literature Association named this riveting story one of the 10 best American children's books of the past 200 years. O'Dell was inspired by the real-life story of a 12-year-old American Indian girl, Karana. The author based his book on the life of this remarkable young woman who, during the evacuation of Ghalas-at (an island off the coast of California), jumped ship to stay with her young brother who had been abandoned on the island. He died shortly thereafter, and Karana fended for herself on the island for 18 years.
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. (Ages 9 to 12)
Product Description:
In the Pacific, there is an island that looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea birds abound. Karana is the Indian girl who lived alone for years on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Hers is not only an unusual adventure of survival, but also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery.
Scott O'Dell won the Newbery Medal for Island of the Blue Dolphins in 1961, and in 1976 the Children's Literature Association named this riveting story one of the 10 best American children's books of the past 200 years. O'Dell was inspired by the real-life story of a 12-year-old American Indian girl, Karana. The author based his book on the life of this remarkable young woman who, during the evacuation of Ghalas-at (an island off the coast of California), jumped ship to stay with her young brother who had been abandoned on the island. He died shortly thereafter, and Karana fended for herself on the island for 18 years.
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. (Ages 9 to 12)
Product Description:
In the Pacific, there is an island that looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea birds abound. Karana is the Indian girl who lived alone for years on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Hers is not only an unusual adventure of survival, but also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Island of the Blue Dolphins
This is the story of Karana, a young Indian girl raised on an island off the coast of California.Supposedly it is based on a true story, and it tells of how she survived on her native island after all of her people were removed and her younger brother was killed.The reader never knows why Karana's people were removed from the island, which would have helped me understand the story a bit better.
While Scott O'Dell is a good storyteller, there are some gaps that I wished he had explained ... Read More
Rating: - A True Survivor
Winner of the Newbery Award, "Island of the Blue Dolphins" tells the story of Karana, a young Indian woman who becomes the sole occupant on a small island in the Pacific for several years.Based on a real woman who lived alone on San Nicolas Island from 1835 to 1853, it tells a moving story of survival where a woman with little means is forced to become resourceful, physically and emotionally strong and above all kept afloat by that fragilest of threads called hope.
When a band of Russian ... Read More
Rating: 
- Classic adventure
This is a story I have read many times since I was a child. I'm sure every little girl goes through that phase where she would like nothing more than to be a wild maiden living alone with the animals, and that is probably the basis of a lot of appeal. But that does destract from the fact that this is an incredibly written, incredibly moving story of survival and the overcoming of loneliness.
Based on an old story of a woman who survived for 18 years by herself, this tells the story of a young ... Read More
Rating: - Dolphin book for school
We received this book very quickly, in the described condition. It was an earlier print of the book with a smaller font, but overall it was a great
buying experience.
Rating: 
- Just didn't excite me
My babysitter got this out for my 8 year old daughter who loves to read, and I started reading it first to see if she would like it. I remember reading it as a child but couldn't remember whether I liked it or not. As an adult I found it somewhat interesting but not captivating. Nothing much happens, and I didn't think it was written in a way which would excite my daughter. I found myself wishing Scott ODell were a better writer--the descriptions of how food or clothing is made from natural products are so ... Read More
- Island of the Blue DolphinsThis is the story of Karana, a young Indian girl raised on an island off the coast of California.Supposedly it is based on a true story, and it tells of how she survived on her native island after all of her people were removed and her younger brother was killed.The reader never knows why Karana's people were removed from the island, which would have helped me understand the story a bit better.
While Scott O'Dell is a good storyteller, there are some gaps that I wished he had explained ... Read More
- A True SurvivorWinner of the Newbery Award, "Island of the Blue Dolphins" tells the story of Karana, a young Indian woman who becomes the sole occupant on a small island in the Pacific for several years.Based on a real woman who lived alone on San Nicolas Island from 1835 to 1853, it tells a moving story of survival where a woman with little means is forced to become resourceful, physically and emotionally strong and above all kept afloat by that fragilest of threads called hope.
When a band of Russian ... Read More
- Classic adventureThis is a story I have read many times since I was a child. I'm sure every little girl goes through that phase where she would like nothing more than to be a wild maiden living alone with the animals, and that is probably the basis of a lot of appeal. But that does destract from the fact that this is an incredibly written, incredibly moving story of survival and the overcoming of loneliness.
Based on an old story of a woman who survived for 18 years by herself, this tells the story of a young ... Read More
- Dolphin book for schoolWe received this book very quickly, in the described condition. It was an earlier print of the book with a smaller font, but overall it was a great
buying experience.
- Just didn't excite meMy babysitter got this out for my 8 year old daughter who loves to read, and I started reading it first to see if she would like it. I remember reading it as a child but couldn't remember whether I liked it or not. As an adult I found it somewhat interesting but not captivating. Nothing much happens, and I didn't think it was written in a way which would excite my daughter. I found myself wishing Scott ODell were a better writer--the descriptions of how food or clothing is made from natural products are so ... Read More
