Island of the blue dolphins / by Scott O'Dell.
Bibliographic Citation:
O’Dell, S. (1960). Island of the blue dolphins. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Summary:
Island of the
Blue Dolphins is based on the life of a young woman who lived alone on an
island off the coast of California for 18 years. The story begins with a tribe
of natives living on the island when the Aleuts come to hunt seals. When the Aleuts
are leaving, they refuse to give the natives what was promised and a fight
ensues that kills most of the native men. The following spring white men come
on a ship and take the natives away from the island. The main character jumps
of the boat and swims back to the island when she realizes her younger brother
was left behind. Shortly thereafter, her brother is killed by the wild dogs of
the island and the girl is left alone on the island. At first she waits for the
white men to return, but when they do not, she settles into a way of life by
building a home, fashioning clothes and weapons out of raw materials, hunting,
and many other things needed to survive. She tries to kill the leader of the
wild dog pack that killed her brother, but her spear only injures him. She takes
him home in his weakened state to nurse him back to health. He remains her
faithful companion for many years. After her faithful dog dies, she finds his
son and tries various ways to capture and tame him. She finally does and has a
new companion. After 18 years alone on the island, white men finally come back
and take her away from the island. When she reaches the Mission at Santa
Barbara, she finds out that the first ship, 18 years ago, sank at sea before it
reached land, so all her people had perished.
Impressions:
This book grabbed my attention from the moment I opened it.
The historical and cultural aspect was intriguing. It wasn’t until I finished
the book that I read the author’s note and learned the story was based on the
Lost Woman of San Nicolas from the 1800’s. This fact gave the story much more
meaning.
I cannot begin to understand the fortitude it took to
survive alone, on an island for 18 years, but as I was reading, I imagined myself
as the young woman and what I would have done had it been me left on that
island. The emotions this book brought to the surface were many including fear,
loneliness, hope, love, and joy.
Library Use Suggestions:
The book could be used to introduce the genre of historical fiction and discuss novels can be developed around the events of a real person’s life.
Reviews:
An outstanding
new edition of this popular modern classic (Newbery Award, 1961), with an
introduction by Zena Sutherland and a dozen compelling full-page watercolor
illustrations to enchant new readers and old friends.
(2000, November
1). [Review of Island of the Blue Dolphins]. Kirkus Review. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/scott-odell/island-of-the-blue-dolphins/
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I would give students the creative opportunity
to discuss, write, and illustrate what they would do to survive if they were
left alone on an island for years and years.
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