Island of the Blue Dolphins

scott o/dell tantoo cardinal

In the Pacific there is an island that looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it, blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea elephants and sea birds abound. Once, Indians also lived on the island. And when they left and sailed to the east, one young girl was left behind.

This is the story of Karana, the Indian girl who lived alone for years on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Year after year, she watched one season pass into another and waited for a ship to take her away. But while she waited, she kept herself alive by building a shelter, making weapons, finding food, and fighting her enemies, the wild dogs. It is not only an unusual adventure of survival, but also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery.

Genres fictionyoung adulthistorical fictionchildrensmiddle gradeadventureschoolhistoricalclassicssurvival

4 pages, Audio CD

First published September 9,1960

Series

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Literary awards

newbery medal, lewis carroll shelf award, nene award, vermont golden dome book award, deutscher jugendliteraturpreis, william allen white childrens book award,

Places

island of the blue dolphins, california,

This edition

Format: 4 pages, Audio CD
Published: May 10, 2005 by Listening Library
ISBN: 9780307243164
ASIN: 0307243168
Language: English

Characters More characters

Karana

Karana is a young twelve-year-old girl who jumps ship after a evacuations from her island, Ghalas-at, off the coast of California, to come for her brother, who has been left behind. her brother then is killed and Karana spends eighteen years on the island...