"Zia" by Scott O'Dell

How did I not know that there was a sequel to Island of the Blue Dolphins? Thank you to the child that requested it a the library for getting me up to date!

I have read and re-read Island of the Blue Dolphins many times and each time I always wondered what happened to Karana. I have done research into the true story that inspired the book, but wondered if O'Dell would take this route or if he had other things in mind. And now I know.  Zia is told from the point of view of Karana's niece, Zia. Zia is determined to get to the island where Karana was left behind so that she can bring her aunt home. She and her brother Mando keep trying, but find themselves unsuccessful. Eventually Karana does make it their mission home, but overall is there for little of the novel. Aside from her determination to find her aunt, the book focuses heavily on Zia's life in Spanish mission and how she is torn between her family's traditions and how the world is progressing. Overall this an interesting book, but as a sequel I felt it was very lacking.

Island of the Blue Dolphins has so many elements that I love. I love reading how Karana builds her shelter, finds and prepares her food, how she trains her animals. Zia didn't really have much of that. It felt like a completely different book and I think it would have fared better had it not been a sequel, but instead been a book just about Zia with all references to Karana removed. In addition, it really bothered me how badly Zia wanted to find her aunt and not her uncle Ramo. As the reader, we know that Ramo is killed early in the first book, but Zia would have no way of knowing this. I'm not sure if O'Dell just didn't take this into account of if her choose to ignore it, but that little fact really bugged me. I wish that Ramo existence had been addressed and that eventually finding out that he had died was a bigger part of the plot as well. I realize that this is a fairly minor complaint, but for me it was very distracting. I'm probably not going to add this book to my re-read list. While it is a good book, it just didn't quite meet my standards.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

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"Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'dell

Title: Island of the Blue Dolphins
Author: Scott O'dell

Have I Read it Before: Yes

Anyone who has not yet read Island of the Blue Dolphins is really missing out. Karana has lived on the Island of the Blue Dolphins her entire life and things have been peaceful until the Aleuts come. At first everything is fine between Karana's people and the Aleuts but when the Aleuts try to leave without fulfilling their promise, a battle breaks out that kills most of the men. When they are given the opportunity to leave their island, the women and men that are left jump at the chance. Once on board, Karana realizes that her brother has been left behind. She leaps from the ship and swims back to her brother. If you have read the synopsis of this book, then you know that Karana ends up all alone on the island. The rest of the book is dedicated to how she survives on the island; finding food, making shelter; taming animals and hiding when the Aleuts once again return. At times she is in grave danger, but often the pages are filled with her day to day activities, but because they are different from anything I have ever experienced, I find them fascinating.

I first read this book when I was in middle school, but it is one that I return to often. In fact, I am fairly certain that my love of historical fiction started the first time I read Scott O'dell's work. It is so interesting to read about how Karana finds and prepares her food, how she uses the bones of a whale to build her fence, how she tames wild dogs and makes them into her pets. Even more extraordinary was finding out that the events of this book are based on a real person. This is one of those books that will stick with you after you read it and one that you will likely want to share with others. If you enjoy it, I recommend many of O'dell's other historical fiction as well as Armstrong Sperry's Call it Courage.

Happy Reading!
-Melly