Island of the Blue Dolphins

O'Dell, Scott. (1960). Island of the blue dolphins. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Karana is the young daughter of a chief on an island called Ghalas-at, also known as the Island of the Blue Dolphins because of its shape and the dolphins that you can see swimming near by. Karana and the others on her island work together as a tribe live by the laws of their culture-- their world begins to turn around when they have visitors come to the island. The Aleuts come with Captain Orlov, a Russian captain, to hunt sea otters on the island, when Captain Orlov doesn't hold up to his end of the bargain things begin to go south for the Ghalas-at tribe. Many men are killed during the battle that erupts over the disagreement, the chief--Karana's father, being one of them. With the loss of tribe members and the injuries that have been left to its remaining members the life that the people were used to no longer exists. When the new tribe chief sends for help something happens and Karana finds herself stranded on the island by herself. Will Karana be able to learn how to survive on her own on the island? Will she ever be rescued? Read Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell to find out.