BOTM for March is Island of the Blue Dolphins

[SaraKat]

Leave your comments here for our Book of the Month!

[Jemima]

I read this is 2013, when I was early in my MG reading days. I gave it five stars and was pretty gushing about it, although I don't remember it with fondness, like I do others.

Here's an excerpt from my Goodreads review:
The tale is beautifully written, and whilst not paying too much attention to detail, I felt that there are enough hints for anyone with the misfortune to be stranded on a desert island to make the best of their opportunities. I expect these days it is read in schools with plenty of additional material for children to try their hand at crafting some of the items Karana makes, although perhaps substituting something more mundane for cormorant feathers or elephant seal tusks. I might like to try mapping the island or drawing the view of Coral Cove.

[Manybooks]

I read Island of the Blue Dolphins repeatedly from about the age of eleven to fourteen, and I remember that I really loved Karana as a character and was awed by how she managed to survive and even flourish on her own and how instead of killing the wild dog that had mauled her younger brother to death she gentles Rontu and he then becomes her main and trusted companion.

Now Island of the Blue Dolphins is a bit controversial today and many Native Americans have issues with the fact that Scott O’Dell kind of makes Karana and her tribe appear as the traditional “doomed” Indians. But well, I personally do not really see this, as Karana working hard by herself to survive and to even prosper on her island even though she is all alone is in my opinion a story of optimism and hope and not one of doom.

And furthermore, I do generally consider that the research Scott O’Dell has done on the Lost Woman of San Nicholas, who supposedly is the role model for Karana, is likely based on the findings and research that were available to O’Dell at the time (and also realistic and not too problematic) and actually as an older adult reader, my only real issue with regard to the depiction of Native Americans in Island of the Blue Dolphins is that I do not in particular like the fake native tongue created for Karana, that Scott O’Dell really should have had Karana talk in an extant Native American language from the same geographic area, from coastal California.

Oh and I also DO NOT consider Island of the Blue Dolphins as a Robinson Crusoe type of novel, which is what some analysts and even Scott O’Dell himself have claimed. For since Karana is left stranded at home, since she has known her island since babyhood, she is not like Robinson Crusoe stranded on an unknown piece of real estate that must be tamed and overcome, but just that Karana is now forced to deal with all of the many necessary chores herself, whilst before work was of course shared by her tribe, by her family and others.

[Manybooks]

Also, there are many versions of Island of the Blue Dolphins. As a child, this version of Island of the Blue Dolphins (and I really loved the book cover image ) was the one I had and read until it fell apart.

But for my recent reread, I downloaded Island of the Blue Dolphins: The Complete Reader's Edition on my Kindle, and I do highly recommend not only the text (even though it is the first edition and has a few minor changes) but also the simply amazing and enlightening introduction and supplemental information (but with the caveat that if you are going to be using Island of the Blue Dolphins: The Complete Reader's Edition, if you have NOT previously read Island of the Blue Dolphins, you should in my opinion make sure you read the text proper, the story itself BEFORE reading the introduction or the supplemental details so as to not encounter spoilers and to also not be influenced in your reading by either the introduction or the extra information and analyses post text).

[Leone]

Got this at a church book sale two years ago, pleased to finally read it. Wasn't aware that O'Dell based his main character, Karana, on The Lost Woman of San Nicolas," How the young girl manages to survive on her own, and the details of how she manages it, will appeal to middle graders, whether boy or girl.

[Justine]

I read this book a couple of years ago. I approached it with trepidation as I'm not a big fan of survival in the wilderness books. But as this is a fiction book inspired by scant historical facts, I went in with the aim to get a feel for what happened back then. And I surprised myself by liking it.

I found the survival techniques fascinating, although I was most curious about how to cook food over rock, make utensils by rubbing with sand, or what type of rock is on the island if it were so easy to hole out shelves for storage.

It was a good read.

[Manybooks]

Justine wrote: "I read this book a couple of years ago. I approached it with trepidation as I'm not a big fan of survival in the wilderness books. But as this is a fiction book inspired by scant historical facts, ..."

The first time I read this as a teenager, I really wanted to try abalones.

[Carmel]

I first read this book mire than 50 years ago and had positive memories of it. I found it quite flat and not terribly engaging this time round. I don’t imagine many children would appreciate it these days when there is no so much choice.

[Manybooks]

Carmel wrote: "I first read this book mire than 50 years ago and had positive memories of it. I found it quite flat and not terribly engaging this time round. I don’t imagine many children would appreciate it the..."

I am sorry you did no longer find Island of the Blue Dolphins engaging this time around. But I do wonder if many of us today have an anticipation that adventure tales (including survival stories) are supposed to be high anxiety and dramatics (full of violence, full of chases, heavy duty conflicts etc.). But while I can see the novel not being exciting and conflict heavy enough for some readers, both as a child and as an older adult reader, I really did and do appreciate that Island of the Blue Dolphins told and still tells me a story that is thankfully not constantly high octane anxiety, that Karana’s story is engaging enough for me without ever being too dramatic (for in my opinion and according to my reading tastes, I for one do tend to fight many modern era adventure stories for children, for younger readers much too exaggerated and much too full of dramatics and there are likely also younger readers out there who would rather not always be confronted with such high anxiety adventure tales and might well appreciate less dramatic tales, like Island of the Blue Dolphins).

[SaraKat]

While I appreciated all the natural science woven through the book, it was a little brutal for my tastes. I know, I know--that's part of nature. I just don't like to read about it. I thought Karana was a fierce female protagonist and she showed great strength and ingenuity while dealing with the many hardships she had. I thought the way the story was told with such matter-of-factness somewhat belies the serious feelings of loneliness and grief that she must have been feeling. I also was conflicted about the ending.