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Revision as of 18:54, 10 October 2005 by Jengod (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Island of the Blue Dolphins is a novel for children, written by Scott O'Dell. It was published in 1961 and won the Newbery Medal that year. It is based on the true story of Juana Maria, an Indian woman marooned for 18 years on San Nicolas Island, off the coast of California.
The main character, a girl named Karana, is evacuated from the island with her people in 1835. She jumps ship when she realizes that her younger brother was left behind. After his death, she is forced to fend for herself- find food, build shelter, take on many of the tasks that were only meant for the men of her tribe, and protect herself from wild animals. This is a story of survival, as well as inspirational personal discovery and natural beauty.
O'Dell wrote a sequel to the story called Zia, written from the point of view of Karana's young neice.
The real Juana Maria, also known as the Lost Woman of San Nicolas, was rescued from the island in 1853. She died seven weeks after she was brought to California. San Nicolas is now home to a base of the United States Navy.
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