Island of the Blue Dolphins (Puffin Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Scott O'Dell won the Newbery Medal for Island of the Blue Dolphins in 1961, and in 1976 the Children's Literature Association named this riveting story one of the 10 best American children's books of the past 200 years. O'Dell was inspired by the real-life story of a 12-year-old American Indian girl, Karana. The author based his book on the life of this remarkable young woman who, during the evacuation of Ghalas-at (an island off the coast of California), jumped ship to stay with her young brother who had been abandoned on the island. He died shortly thereafter, and Karana fended for herself on the island for 18 years.
O'Dell tells the miraculous story of how Karana forages on land and in the ocean, clothes herself (in a green-cormorant skirt and an otter cape on special occasions), and secures shelter. Perhaps even more startlingly, she finds strength and serenity living alone on the island. This beautiful edition of Island of the Blue Dolphins is enriched with 12 full-page watercolour paintings by Ted Lewin, illustrator of more than 100 children's books, including Ali, Child of the Desert. 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. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Product Description
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.
From the Paperback edition.
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.
From the Paperback edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
My son is 9 years old and typically does not enjoy reading - I would say that he has an average reading ability for his age. We have tried many books to try to get him reading of his own accord, but had mediocre results. We got this book through an Amazon recommendation and when it arrived really didn't hold out much hope that he would get to grips with it. But we persevered and encouraged him to read a chapter to me or his Dad at bedtime each night and we did help him out with some words that he'd never encountered before (e.g., abalone, Aleuts to name but a few) in the first couple of chapters. It's also written in a more old-fashioned style (don't let that put you off though) - we encouraged him to ask questions about what stuff meant and he has done that repeatedly. We are more than half way through the book now and we can already see the improvement in his reading, making sentences more interesting to listen to by emphasis and use of the punctuation. The first couple of nights he groaned about having to read the book, but then it got him and he's pestered us ever since to listen to him read! How fabulous is that?! We're now more than half way through and he said last night that he didn't want to finish the book because he'd miss reading it! Then, as he was reading, I could hear the emotion in his voice at one point and was surprised to see tears running down his face - he was totally submerged in the story and feeling the emotion of the story - I explained to him that he had nothing to feel embarrassed about as I firmly believe that to feel the story so vividly is the mark of a truly great book and a great author. He's turned a real corner and this is the book that has done it - I just hope to find another book that excites him as much as this one has!
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As a child, my grade school librarian wore out from me asking to borrow so often. Later, as a private tutor, my students chose this again and again. "Island of the Blue Dolphins" lives up to its reputation as one of the greatest children's book ever.
Libraries are good for borrowing books, but some books should be on the shelf of any young reader. Scott O'Dell's magnificent "Island of the Blue Dolphins" is just that. Save your librarian some grief and buy a copy.
"The Island of the Blue Dolphins" is the story of a foolish young girl who missed the boat when the island was being evacuated. Far from it. Karana was on the boat. Her playful little brother, Ramo, wasn't. He was only 6 years old and could never survive alone. She jumped off and headed to shore to save him. The boat left.
Every little girl or boy has been alone, frightened without a clear way of finding his or her way home. Often, the problem is fixed by turning the next corner, finding out it is the same neighborhood it has always been. In the case of "The Island of the Blue Dolphins," Karana's home never changes. Everyone she knows and loves, however, leaves.
For 18 years Karana took care of herself, and she grows from a preteen child into a woman just entering her 30s. This is that story, filled with adventures similar to "Robinson Crusoe," another true story set to fiction. Fans of "Swiss Family Robinson," will likewise enjoy this.
Karana's ingenuity to survive is surpassed by her tenacity and hope. Weathering hard circumstances, such wild dogs, storms and the constant need to find fresh food and good water. She uses what she learned from her parents and other villagers before the left, and what she learns by trial an error.
As exciting as "Treasure Island," only with a female protagonist, the book is more than a tale of heroics. Scott O'Dell's keen sense of description separates this from the rest of the bookshelf. Although sensitive that his reader is younger, he still manages to place to reader in the story, imagining the smell of sea or hearing the not-so-far off bark of wild dogs.
Like other classics as "Old Yeller" and "My Brother Sam Is Dead," not everything comes easily to Karana. There are somber times when people leave, when her brother dies, or when things look bleak. O'Dell tells the story as realistically as he can, which makes the happy times happier.
I fully recommend "Island of the Blue Dolphins," by Scott O'Dell. It won "The Newberry Medal for Best Children's Book" for good reason.
Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Island of the blue dolphins is based on a true story about a girls struggle for survival when she is stranded on a lonely and deserted island.
Once populated by her and her tribe but after they are killed by Aleuts and the rest of the tribe flee to another island leaving her and her brother Ramo stranded there. After the death of her brother 12 year old Karana must adapt to life on this harsh and dangerous island now populated by many species of animals like wild dogs and sea creatures.
Once populated by her and her tribe but after they are killed by Aleuts and the rest of the tribe flee to another island leaving her and her brother Ramo stranded there. After the death of her brother 12 year old Karana must adapt to life on this harsh and dangerous island now populated by many species of animals like wild dogs and sea creatures.
I would definately recommend this book to people over the age of 10 as parts are hard to understand sometimes with the type of language used. This book is definately 10/10 as every chapter unfolds more excitement and adventures.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
great read
We had read reviews about this book which were all good, so when we read it I was not suprised that it was a good book. I would recommend it.
Published 16 months ago by Niem
A fantastic story to return to again and again.
I cannot tell you how many times I have read this book in my life. I have had to replace it 3 times. I loan it out and it never gets returned!! I can't blame them. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Helen
the book which got many -many prizes
I like this novel very much. I must say that this book was a "winner" of the most famous awards in children literature and got Andersen' gold medal. Read more
Published on 4 Oct 2005 by Elena
Unmissable, both for children and adults alike.
This is a fantastic book. I have read it over and over again and can honestly say it is one of my all time favourites. I first read it when I was 13. Read more
Published on 22 Nov 2001
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