Island of the Blue Dolphins
1960
- children's fiction
- islands, fiction
- fiction
- indians of north america
- islands
- juvenile fiction
- newbery medal
- survival
- survival skills
- brothers and sisters
The story
Story of a young girl abandoned on a small island by her family and her village, and of her fight for survival. The incredible courage, determination and strength of this girl is showcased throughout as she learns to do the things that only the men of her tribe did before, and battles not only the hunters who frequent the island, but also her desperate loneliness as well... Excellent read for kids 11 and older.
What it’s like
Plain, clear prose with a patient, observational voice that stays close to the senses: the sound of surf against rock, the smell of kelp and cooking fires, the slow rhythm of gathering, weaving and building through long seasons. The island is rendered as a wide, sun-bleached and wind-scoured place of tide pools, cliffs and open ocean, with the sea always present at the edges. The mood is quiet and resolute, a settled loneliness that never tips into panic, and the pacing is unhurried, measured by days, moons and the changing weather rather than by cliffhangers. Its emotional register is steady and contemplative, with a slow, earned warmth as the solitary heroine learns to trust her own competence and, eventually, to let a companion into her world. Violence is present but restrained: a few tense encounters with hunters and a brief, sorrowful account of loss, none of it graphic. It suits a rainy afternoon, a quiet evening alone, or a family read-aloud. It is for readers who enjoy survival stories built on patience and craft, and for anyone wanting something gentle, earnest and unhurried with little gore.
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