Island of the Blue Dolphins

O'Dell, S. (1960).  Island of the blue dolphins.  New York:  Dell Yearling.

This book is a classic novel that is based on a true story of an Indian girl who was found on an island off the coast of California in the early 1800's.  The book begins with Karana, the main character, having a flashback to where she feels her whole story began.  She, with her brother Ramo, see a ship in the distance that has brought Aleut hunters.  The hunters strike a deal with the chief of her tribe, who is also her father, but fail to follow through with their end of the bargain.  A battle ensues and most of the men in the tribe are killed and the Aleuts flee.  The tribe has many decisions to make and ultimately decide to leave their island.  Karana is on the ship, when she realizes her younger brother is not aboard.  She jumps off the ship and swims to shore, while the ship sails away without them.  They tell her they will send for her when they can.  Karana's brother is killed by wild dogs the next day and she must learn to fend for herself.  The setting is very integral to the story.  The author's style of writing paints a very clear picture of the island and how Karana is surviving.  He uses first person so you feel as if you are Karana and experiencing her trials and joys.  The sentences flow easily and hold you to the story so that you do not want to put it down!  Her fears in the story, such as how to survive without weapons, as "the laws of Ghalas-at forbade the making of weapons by women of the tribe..." (p. 51).  I could feel her struggle to uphold the laws of her people, but yet know that she had to do whatever she could to survive.  I chose this book because I remember reading it in the 5th grade and how emotional I felt while reading this book.  I hadn't read it in a really long time and I am so glad that I had an opportunity to do so!  If you haven't read this book before, I highly recommend it!  Many of us have faced struggles or trials in our lives that all you can do is find a way to survive, through any means necessary.  This book gives hope that even through the toughest of times, you can overcome from seeking within yourself and realizing the strength you have.

Big Questions:  How do you think Karana struggled to follow the law of her people, but yet knowing that she had to do something in order to survive?  What was her personality/attitude like throughout the story (beginning, middle, end)?  How do you picture the island?  Do you feel you could have survived for as long as she did?  Why or why not?

This book can be incorporated in the classroom in many areas, especially with science and social studies.  Geography, gender roles, animal studies are many of the areas that you could focus on, as well as the literature aspect.