Island of the Blue Dolphins

Island of the Blue Dolphins is one of my multicultural selections, written by Scott O'Dell in 1960. It is intended for children ages 7-10.

A young girl, Karana, lives on an island off the coast of California with her people and brother, the Ghalas-at. One day, a ship comes to take her people to a new land. Karana's brother goes back for his spear, so Karana jumps off the boat. Her brother is killed by wild dogs on the island, leaving Karana to fend for herself alone until another ship comes.

This book falls under the historical fiction genre. It is actually based off a real story of a girl who was left on San Nicolas Island in the 19th century. This story is set in the 1800's. The character seem well developed. They talk and act the way I would imagine indians in the 1800's would have. Ramo, Karana's little brother, used a lot of similes when he talked. He compared the calm ocean to a smooth blue rock.

I liked this book. It's interesting that it was based off a real story of the same thing. Scott O'Dell is one of the most respected historical fiction authors. Some of his other books include: The Black Pearl; Black Star, Bright Dawn; and Streams to the River, River to the Sea.

Motivational Activities:

• Write a paragraph about how you would survive if you were stranded on an island. What would you do first? What about the animals on the island?
• Draw a picture of the island. Draw how you think it would look. Include things you would build and use for survival. Do you have a pet dog too? Draw what you think it would look like.

Reader Response Questions:

• Do you think Karana should have gone back for her brother? Why or why not?
• Do you think she should have tried harder to leave the island?
• What do you think would happen if Karana never got rescued?

O'Dell, S. (1960). Island of the Blue Dolphins. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.