Island Of The Blue Dolphins (1987) - Plot & Excerpts
Sometimes to clear my head I go to the children's lit bookshelf in my daughter's bedroom (she is now in college), which was fully stocked long before she arrived because I've been collecting children's books for years, and I select a favorite to reread. Yesterday I selected and read this. It's the 6th or so time I've read it, and this is a cherished edition from my childhood. It is such a simply but perfectly told story, and I've never lost my sense of awe about this character, a resourceful Ghalas-at Indian girl left to fend for herself after her people, all of them, are killed or taken away. She's based on a real person who lived alone from 1835 to 1853 on an island off the coast of California, who became known as the Lost Woman of San Nicolas. Despite an almost complete lack of drama in the telling of her predicament, her loss feels devastating, her pain intense, and her survival inspiring. It's just herself and Rontu, a wild dog she plans to kill who instead becomes a companion, but this is no Disney friendship and there's no slighting their initially brutal differences, resolved only when she proves herself capable of being leader of the pack. Never once have I become bored reading about their ensuing lives of quiet determination. The Island of the Blue Dolphins was my home; I had no other. It would be my home until the white men returned in their ship. But even if they came soon, before next summer, I could not live without a roof or a place to store my food. I would have to build a house. But where? That night I slept on the rock and the next day began the search. The morning was clear, but to the north banks of clouds hung low. Before long they would move across the island and behind them many other storms were waiting. I had no time to waste. . .There was a place to the south where I could have built my house, near the destroyed village of Ghalas-at, but I did not want to go there because it would remind me of the people who were gone. The wind blew strong in this place, blowing against the dunes which cover the middle part of the island so that most of the time sand is moving everywhere. Rain fell that night and lasted for two days. I made a shelter of brush at the foot of the rock, which kept off some of the water, and ate the food I had stored in the basket. I could not build a fire because of the rain and I was very cold. On the third day the rain ceased and I went out to look for things which I would need in building the house. . .The morning was fresh from the rain. The smell of the tide pools was strong. Sweet odors came from the wild grasses in the ravines and from the sand plants on the dunes. I sang as I went down the trail to the beach and along the beach to the sandspit. I felt that the day was an omen of good fortune. It was a good day to begin my new home.
This is a book that I read outloud to my two older children, ages 8 and 6. We LOVED IT. Here's my 8 year old daughter's thoughts:It's about a girl a girl who is left on an island and she has to survive by herself. She makes her own weapons and she makes her own house that she makes with whale ribs for a fence. They used seaweed to tie the whale ribs together. That was my favorite part. I liked the ending, even though there were sad parts.From my 6 year old:I liked about how she made weapons. I liked how she made friends with animals on the island.I love when a book fits the three of us so well. The story and setting feel expertly researched and authentic. Sometimes, when we had a chapter where we learned the details of Indian life and culture, it reminded me of Little House on the Prairie, especially when we learned how to dry food or make a skirt. There was certainly a lot of adventure, more than you'd think when a girl is living on an island by herself. Whilst reading a part where some wild dogs are having a bloody battle, my son actually gasped and yelled, "THIS is AWESOME!!!"We all liked how many animals she interacted with - and the animals were the impetus for much of the emotion in the story. During one scene with an animal, I actually teared up as I was reading aloud. Karana (the main character) is tough and resourceful and she has to deal with way too much tragedy. Yet, part of what I liked is how she never sat like a lump and wanted to give up. Things get destroyed? Rebuild. All your food washes away/gets eaten? Collect more. She was a great example to my kids and we had some really interesting discussions about the hard things she deals with. At one point (you'll know when you read it, near the beginning), I worried that maybe it would be a bit too intense, but my kids took it in stride better than I did.I read my kids the author's notes at the end too and we had a great talk about historical fiction. My kids wanted to know specifically what was real and what wasn't (I can relate to that!) and I could tell them, thanks to O'Dell's great notes. This one was a winner for us :)
What do You think about Island Of The Blue Dolphins (1987)?
One of the key elements for historical fiction authenticity is research. Cohesive blending of facts and fiction along with atmosphere authenticity and delivery are also contributing factors. So it’s no wonder Scott O’Dell won the John Newberry Medal for “Island of the Blue Dolphins.” It’s well-written, brilliantly constructed, atmospheric, eloquently Spartan, fluid, and obviously well-researched. And thinking about the publishing date – 1960 – I’m especially in awe in regards to O’Dell’s research and presentation. Prior to the computer age the amount of time and legwork involved in research must have been staggering. Sometimes, though, when reading a vintage work we forget that data wasn't easy to come by in those days; one had to go hither and yon gathering information, handwriting copious amounts of notes, and manually compiling it all into some kind of workable format. After all, not only were personal computers not in existence, copy machines, cell phones, fax machines, digital cameras, scanners, and Fed-Ex didn't exist either. Of course, technology is only a tool. It is the gift of talent, the mastery of proficiency, and tutelage to craft that most distinguishes a good story from a great one. In which “Island of the Blue Dolphins” is an engaging and entertaining great story that young and old alike can enjoy – a noteworthy and unique work of historical fiction. And when thinking about the publishing date, its thirty-year popularity, and the amount of time and effort O’Dell and/or others put into research – “Island of the Blue Dolphins” becomes an exceptionally great, five-star top pick.
—Pamela
this may be the best book for kids ever written. it teaches young girls everything they will ever need to know in their resourceful lives: how to build a fence out of whale bones, how to kill giant squids, how to alternately befriend and defend against scary wild dogs, and how to make skirts from cormorant feathers. since i got kicked out of brownies and never got to learn All The Things That Girl Scouts Learn, this book taught me how to wilderness-survive. and now i live in queens. so - not much use for it, but still a book i have such a fondness for. and i have an old copy, too, where they used to make the page-ends colored. mine is green. i need to read this again. and find out why montambo doesnt like it...
—karen
I actually read this last Christmas vacation right before Brooke was going to read it for school. You can call me old fashion but I will do that with ALL of the books my children are required to read in school. I loved it, couldn't put it down. I felt like it was very age appropriate for a 4th grader and yet as a 35 (at the time) year old woman, I was inspired by Karana's unique journey.
—Linda
