Book Review: O'Dell, Scott—Island of the Blue Dolphins

I read this book when I was in middle school. I didn’t remember much beyond the fact that it was lonely and sad.

It is a children’s book so I decided to inflict it upon my children. There are some pretty graphic episodes like people getting mauled by wild dogs. And it is very lonely and sad. One could argue that there is no resolution in the end. It’s not a book about learning to live on your own or finding peace within yourself. Rather every episode seems to sharpen the bitterness of the protagonist’s isolation.

All good lessons for children.