description: 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 watercolor 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. (Ages 9 to 12)--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
language: English
title: Island of the Blue Dolphins
titlecomplete: Island of the Blue Dolphins
characters: Karana
genres: Classics, Adventure, Historical, Childrens, Survival, Young Adult, Middle Grade, School, Historical Fiction, Fiction
ratings_count: 326682
places: Island of the Blue Dolphins, California
series: Island of the Blue Dolphins
awards: awardedAt: -283968000000
name: Newbery Medal, awardedAt: -283968000000
name: Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, awardedAt: -189360000000
name: Nene Award, awardedAt: -252432000000
name: Vermont Golden Dome Book Award, awardedAt: -220896000000
name: Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis
category: Jugendbuch, awardedAt: -220896000000
name: William Allen White Children's Book Award
publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.