Scott O'Dell - Island of the Blue Dolphins: Teacher Guide Grades 5-6

Pros: Courageous, maternal young female character; restrained, powerful style
Cons: The 'true story' will never be known.

Be careful who you trust with your true name.

Karana is twelve years old when a ship full of Aleut otter hunters comes to the island on which she and her small tribe of Native Americans have lived in almost complete isolation for thousands...

Pros: Imagery, role-model and heroine classical story perfect for young adults.
Cons: Closure came too quickly-wrap-up a bit too brief.

Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell, is a story of a young Indian girl left alone on her island, learning to find shelter, defense and friends among the island inhabitants.

Narrated from her prospective, the story of Karana, a young...

Pros: Great book!
Cons: None

When I was a child, I loved nothing better than a great adventure story. Scott O'Dell's "Island of the Blue Dolphins" fit the bill quite nicely.

The book takes place on San Nicolas Island, off the coast of California. Here, so...

Pros: Enough details, well written
Cons: None that I can think of

Island of the Blue Dolphins is a wonderful children's book. You are transported to another place and time, back to a simple way of life.
The young heroine breaks female stereotypes by having to do the things the men in her village did to stay alive....

Pros: Touching story, well written
Cons: None.

Island of the Blue Dolphins is a beautiful book. It is easy to read, descriptive, and tells a great story that is memorable and interesting. This book tells the story of a girl, the last of her kind left on an island, who must bravely try and survive...

Pros: good springboard for discussion
Cons: reader left wondering what happens to Karana - find out in "Zia" by Scott O'Dell

"I had watched, but not with the eye of one who would ever do it", mused Karana, the strong female character in this tale of survival by Newbery winning author Scott O'Dell. The twelve year old Indian girl had been left alone and to her own...

Pros: An interesting, easy read
Cons: At a child's reading level

"Island of the Blue Dolphins" is the perfect book for children who want something easy and interesting to read. It follows the true events in the life of a girl who was left alone and helpless on an island for 18 years. She slowly learns how to...

Pros: A compelling and thoughtful read.
Cons: Disturbing scenes that are a little graphic

This is a compelling story about loss, loneliness and survival. A young woman trapped on an island is confronted with stray dogs that attack her and steal her food. She has to deal with the islands weather and food supplies and somehow live through her...

Pros: A great book for adults and children to read together and discuss
Cons: None.

I read Island of the Blue Dolphins to my nine year old daughter. She begged for me to read her an extra chapter everynight. She never got bored of the book and a couple of times I caught her trying to read ahead. I strongly suggest if you are an adult...