Island of the Blue Dolphins

Content Ratings

No Romance

There are no meaningful romantic elements; Karana's connections are with animals, the natural world, and briefly with members of an enemy group whom she comes to regard with compassion.

Mild Themes

Karana experiences the violent death of her brother, prolonged total isolation lasting years, and the psychological challenge of surviving alone; the tone is ultimately one of quiet strength rather than despair.

Mild Violence

The massacre of Karana's tribe's men by Aleut hunters occurs at the novel's opening; Karana kills wild animals and later the dog that killed her brother; violence is present but rendered with restraint appropriate to the story's survival focus.

Synopsis

Based on a true story, twelve-year-old Karana is left alone on a remote Pacific island for eighteen years after her tribe is evacuated without her, and must craft weapons, build shelter, and survive entirely by herself in a world that includes wild dogs, Aleut hunters, and isolation. Karana's journey from despair to self-sufficiency and peace is quietly extraordinary. A Newbery Medal-winning novel of solitude, resilience, and a deeply felt connection to the natural world.