Overview
Based off the true tale of a native Nicoleño woman in the 1800s, Island of the Blue Dolphins is a story of survival, adventure, and resilience in the face of adversity. Modern historians call her the “Lone Woman” or “the lost woman”, author Scott O’Dell calls her Karana.
“…for animals and birds are like people, too, thought they do not talk the same or do the same things. Without them the earth would be an unhappy place.”
On the island known as San Nicholas, Karana has survived alone for eighteen years. As sea otter hunters invade the remote island, she is faced with more challenges than simple survival, forced to grapple with the complexities of human nature, and the beauty and terrors of the natural world.
Addressing topics such as gender roles, colonialism, violence alongside environmental compassion, friendship, and solitude, Island of the Blue Dolphins is a work of historical fiction that remains present in classrooms today.