Monday, November 14, 2011

A Childhood Favorite Reread: Island of the Blue Dolphins


Source:  Goodreads


From the back cover...
"Far off the coast of California looms a harsh rock know as San Nicholas Island.  Blue dolphins splash in the water surrounding it, sea otters play in the kelp beds, and seabirds roost in its crags.  Once, Indians also lived on the island--until one day they decided to leave and sailed to the east.
A young girl was left behind.
Karana is that girl.  Year after year, she waits for the ship to come back.  But it never does.  Finally, she realizes she must make a fateful choice:  follow her people on her own or remain alone on the island for the rest of her life."


Scott O'Dell
5/23/1898-10/16/1989
Source:  Goodreads


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I read lots of books as a little girl, but only a few stand out in my memory all these years later.  Among them are The Mona Lisa Mystery, Anne of Green Gables, and the book featured in this blog, The Island of the Blue Dolphins.

I have always known I loved The Island of the Blue Dolphins, and I've mentioned it to my daughter several times.  But I realized that I had forgotten a lot of the story having read it more than twenty years ago.  I recently purchased it for my daughter, and I was excited to reread it.  I'm so glad I did. 

It is such a wonderful story of bravery, survival, hard work, and making the best out of life no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.  It is full of beautiful scenery and animals.  Her friendships with the animals and her love she feels for them is my favorite thing about the book.  If you have a child that is an animal lover I believe she would enjoy this book.  There are some serious and sad parts in the book though nothing inappropriate.


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