ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS by Scott O'Dell

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
O’Dell, Scott. 1960. ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395536804

2. PLOT SUMMARY
On the Island of the Blue Dolphins, a small village called Ghalas-at was located and populated by natives, one of which was Karana. Karana’s father was the Chief Chowig, until a fleet of Russian otter-hunters came and killed many of the village men. The new Chief Kimki decides to secure the villagers with a new home in a country that he visited as a boy. He leaves and is gone a long time before a boat was sent to rescue the islanders. Karana, not finding her brother on the boat, jumps off and swims to shore. The boat sails on, leaving the two siblings behind.

Eventually, Ramo, Karana’s brother becomes brave and leaves by himself to fetch a canoe on the other side of the island. He never makes it to his destination. Karana vows revenge against the dog pack that killed her brother, nearly succeeding. When she finds the leader of the dog pack wounded by her spear, instead of killing him, she nurses him back to health and names him Rontu.

Karana and Rontu live for many years on the island together. Eventually, the Aleut, who killed her father and many of the other men on the island, returned. She befriended one of the Aleut women, which made her realize how lonely she had been. Soon, a ship came to rescue Karana and she went with them to Santa Barbara, where she lived out the rest of her days.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Island of the Blue Dolphins is an Island off the coast of California called San Nicolas Island. The story is told in third person with Karana being the protagonist. The reader gets the opportunity to watch Karana grow and mature from being a young girl to a self-reliant woman during her 18 year stay on the island.

O’Dell’s characterization of Karana was amazing. He was showing her strengths as well has her vulnerabilities. We see her strength and pride in her home and her desire for human companionship. We understand her fears and cherish her accomplishments.

The language O’Dell uses is fairly easy to read and includes an interesting dialect, most likely used on San Nicolas Island. The novel includes several beautiful full-color illustrations by Ted Lewin depicting various scenes from the book.

This story is a true testament to pride, maturity, survival, and self-identity.

4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Metal Award
AMAZON.COM: “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.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Starred Review: “A haunting and unusual story based on the fact that in the early 1800s an Indian girl spent eighteen years alone on a rocky island far off the coast of California . . . A quiet acceptance of fate characterizes her ordeal.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Students may research San Nicholas Island and the story that this book was based on.
*Students may discuss how they would react to being on an island by themselves. How would they feel, what would they do, etc.
*Look for these other works of interest:
O’Dell, Scott. THE BLACK PEARL. ISBN 0440411467
Konigsburg, E.L. FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E FRANKWEILER. ISBN 1416949755
O’Brien, Robert C., MRS. FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH. ISBN 0689710682