Mansour, Verena

Book review #1

Period 4

25 October 2016

Island of the blue dolphins

Scott O’Dell

Fiction

174

Newberry award

 

          The book, Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell, is about a girl who is left on an island her name is Karana. She had a brother named Ramo and a sister named Ulape. Her people lived in a village called Galas at. One day a ship full of Russians called Aleuts came to hunt for otter so Karana’s dad said sure and they took everything and a bunch of her people died because they started fighting with the Aleuts. Eventually Karana’s father made everyone go on canoes and they left Ramo and Karana because he was trying to get his fishing spear. But the next day he got eaten by the wild dogs so she was all alone. He the Aleuts came but she hid in a cave until they left. Karana even finds a friend named Tutok but she’s from the Aleuts but she gave her company until she left. Karana also becomes friends with a wild dog named Rontu and they were best friends. Rontu eventually passed away after old age but Karana found Rontu dog and she named him Rontu junior. Then rescuers came and took her to saint Barbra in California where she finds out the ship had sunken with all her people before they could come back for her.

      My favorite part in the book was when Karana met Tutok and they became friends and they would talk even though they spoke different languages that reminds me of my cousin who’s Italian and whenever she comes we talk by using hand gestures so I related to that part. Another part of the book was that Karana’s best friend was a wild dog which is pretty much just a coyote that shows you can be friends with anything. Another part that I liked in this story was that it was based on a true story and that I could relate at some points. The big thing that I didn’t like was how the book was very descriptive at moments when they spoke of when someone got killed or hurt. I also didn’t like how violent the book was it was a little too violent for me and the author could have left some parts out of the story. I liked the end of the book because after her being alone she could go back to where her family was supposed to be. One thing I didn’t like was how she never found out where her friend was but a good thing was that she can take Rontu junior and her two birds. If you like violent books with very descriptive wordings, then it’s the right book for you. Another thing is that if you like adventurous books then you’ll love this book because it’s also about surviving and trying to have shelter and live and finding your own food. Another thing is that at the end she starts going out and searches for thing to do and she finds out that there was a cave where her old ancestors lived and when she went to the cave she saw skeletons and then she knew for sure those where her ancestors. The last thing I like about the book was how at the end when she was leaving it was very peaceful and how she could take what she wanted with her but the ending was also disappointing because she found out her family did not make it to California. That pretty much sums up what I like and what I don’t in this story of the Island of the Blue Dolphins. But overall it was a very good book and I enjoyed reading it and I am considering this author because I like the way he writes stories and how he gives a lot of information even though it sometimes might be gross.