I hate Island of the Blue Dolphins! It's so DEPRESSING!

[anewday]

I never read this book as a child (yes, I was a product of the ps system LOL). We're going through CA history so of course, IOTBD, being a classic, seemed a logical choice. We're reading it aloud.

 

This poor young girl left alone on an island after the little brother she stayed behind for was killed by wild dogs - it's just "one thing after another". It's a bit like reading about a slow, painful death. LOL

 

Am I the only one? Is it allowed that I just chuck this book midway into it? Or skip to the very end and then chuck it? ;)

[Baseballmom]

We loved this book. The one book I found so depressing was Carry on Mr. Bowditch. Someone dies in almost every chapter. But, yes, you have permission to not finish the book if you don't like it.

[BlueGator]

I am a product of PS system also.

 

The more I HS, the more I question "conventional wisdom". :confused:

[Lisawa]

I never read this book as a child (yes, I was a product of the ps system LOL). We're going through CA history so of course, IOTBD, being a classic, seemed a logical choice. We're reading it aloud.

 

I'm ready to throw the thing across the room. No. Burn it. It's one thing after another. It's so horribly depressing! This poor young girl left alone on an island after the little brother she stayed behind for was killed by wild dogs - it's just "one thing after another". It's like reading about a slow, painful death. HELLO?! We are realists here, but this seems over the top to be reading to my 9 and 7 year old girls. Not only is it depressing, it's boring.

 

Am I the only one? Is it allowed that I just chuck this book midway into it? Or skip to the very end and then chuck it? LOL

 

 

Keep reading! Keep reading! It isnt all lost.... I enjoyed this book as a kid. It was read to our class in 6th grade... I loved it! My daughter read it last year.... it is a good story... hope you can hang on...

[Colleen]

...if it's such an issue to you, just stop reading the book. You sound so hostile about it! I liked it very much, and my boys absolutely loved it. We read it when we were using Sonlight Core 5 and it's without a doubt been one of the stand-outs over the years. Far from boring, in our estimation, but to each his own.:)

[anewday]

We're right at the point where she had to go back after her canoe was leaking. She's trying to find a place to build shelter.

 

So it gets better?

[anewday]

...if it's such an issue to you, just stop reading the book. You sound so hostile about it!

 

:lol:

I was exaggerating and half joking to get my point across. Sorry it came across as hostile. Things don't always translate online as you intend them too.

[anewday]

I edited the OP.

 

It's probably not a good idea to post about the depressing nature of IOTBD when you have raging PMS. :tongue_smilie:

[classicHSmom]

This was read aloud to my 4th grade class in PS. I couldn't remember any of the details as I grew older (only the main idea) but always remembered that I loved it and was captivated by it. That said, if you and your children aren't enjoying it, pitch it. There are tons of other good books out there that you could spend your time on.

[Colleen]

We loved this book. The one book I found so depressing was Carry on Mr. Bowditch. Someone dies in almost every chapter.

 

We enjoyed this one a great deal, too. Yes, he has a challenging life, no question, as far as losing people close to him. That wasn't unrealistic in that time. Nonetheless, the story itself was interesting to us.

[dragons in the flower bed]

 

 

I read this book in public school in fourth grade and it was life-changing for me. I'll toss in my vote for staying with it till the end. I'm not a big fan of the-dog-dies type books, but Island of the Blue Dolphins has value beyond it's ability to make one cry (unlike most other Newberry winners). I found Karena's strength amazing and her ability to pick up and do the next thing inspires me today.

 

Did you know that it's based on a true story?

[Aubrey]

Man. I'm sort-of glad for this thread, because it gives me a heads-up.

 

I LOVED this book as a kid, but...I clearly remember NOTHING. I read the op, & thought Depressing? Then someone mentioned the boy dying, & I though, What boy? What dog?

 

So I may have to preread yet. another. book. Ugh.

 

But I did love it, whenever I read it. And I remember it being slow, but drawing you in. And I remember the ending was really, really good. I have no idea how it ended, but I liked it. LOL

[TraceyS/FL]

Being a Central Coast native it was mandatory public school reading for me. It's one of my favorite books!

[Homeschooling6]

My dc 10, 7, 6yrs. loved this book. We just finished it last week. The didn't want me to stop reading it. We had a lot of good discussions with this book.

 

Blessings,

[Lisawa]

We're right at the point where she had to go back after her canoe was leaking. She's trying to find a place to build shelter.

 

So it gets better?

 

 

I think it does. It does get better as far as the depressing part of it... its sad... but not all is lost.... keep going.. and then if you cant do it or it still hasn't captured you yet.... move on... at least you tried right??:)

[Nicole M]

I read this book in PS and so did my oldest, before we started home schooling.

 

I find Scott O'Dell's books to be very intense. I hated Island as a kid because abandonment was an issue for me. I think there are books that you should not go into "cold", and O'Dell's are definitely on that list. The King's Fifth is a fantastic book, but man! I wish I'd had a heads-up about that one, too. Very, very intense.

 

I find that if I have to wrestle with the emotion that a book generates for me - that is, if I have a knee-jerk reaction to a book that causes me to have to sort through a lot of feelings - then I am less able to defuse the energy or emotion for my boys (who, I realize, may or may not have the same reaction as I did). So, for instance, my youngest, to whom I read TKF, was only able to say, "I hate those Spanish with their crazy gold fever!" after reading the book. I wasn't able to help him sort that out, unpack it with him, because I was so horrified, myself. Also, it was recommended for a younger set, and I don't think this one is at all appropriate for younger children. Or, if you do read it with youngers, be prepared to re-visit it at a later time when they can have a look at it with more mature eyes.

 

I feel like I'm using too many words here. Do you see where I'm going with this? I guess the bottom line is that you have my sympathy. Sounds like you were blind-sided by this one, as I was with TKF.

[Scarlett]

I never read this book as a child (yes, I was a product of the ps system LOL). We're going through CA history so of course, IOTBD, being a classic, seemed a logical choice. We're reading it aloud.

 

This poor young girl left alone on an island after the little brother she stayed behind for was killed by wild dogs - it's just "one thing after another". It's a bit like reading about a slow, painful death. LOL

 

Am I the only one? Is it allowed that I just chuck this book midway into it? Or skip to the very end and then chuck it? ;)

 

Keep reading. And also realize that our kids do not view books in the same way we do. Our life's experience layer on to our emotions and we 'feel' things about the story that kids have no way of understanding yet. That is how I was with Summer of the Monkeys. ds was about 6....I sobbed through parts of the end...ds just looked at me with amusement. There was nothing even remotely sad about it to him.

 

Same thing with Sign of the Beaver that we just finished. When the family returned I cried, and ds said, 'mom! You knew they were coming home!' Well, yes, I did. :tongue_smilie: But still.

 

IOTBD was one of those books I could not get out of my mind for years. I loved it as a kid. It is on my list to read to ds...although I have such fond memories of reading it myself and being so absorbed by it that I was sort of waiting until he might read it to himself.

[TracyR]

We are reading this book right now and are on chapter 6 , so only her dad has died. So far so good for us. Though I'll admit the dying stuff does bother my girls just a little. I get the " Her dad died??!!! " Why?" The Aleuts killed the OTTERS!!!"

 

I will admit this book isn't as depressing as the Lemony Snickett's A Series of Unfortunate Events. I watched this last night on ABC and by the end of the movie I was depressed. Here are three children who have lost their parents and really no family to go to. They go from one strange family to another all the while Count Olaf is trying to kill them for their inheiretence. The adults don't listen to them while they are trying to tell them that Olaf is trying to kill all of them ,and in the end there are three young children , one being an infant left back to the house that was burnt down to learn they had to go through all of this to learn that they had to stick together as a family.

Now that movie was just way more depressing then Island of the Blue Dolphins.

 

I'll agree that children don't view things the same way adults do. Because my girls loved the Series of Unfortunate Events movie last night , where I was about to just break into tears for these three little children who had to fend for themselves.

[AngieW in Texas]

We thought Island of the Blue Dolphins was depressing, but my kids rated Carry On Mr. Bowditch as their favorite out of all the books we read that year (SL Core 3).

[Baseballmom]

We loved this book too, but I cried in every chapter. Not just a whimper but downright sobbing! Great book!

Dorothy

 

We enjoyed this one a great deal, too. Yes, he has a challenging life, no question, as far as losing people close to him. That wasn't unrealistic in that time. Nonetheless, the story itself was interesting to us.

[Jeanne in MN]

... You sound so hostile about it!

 

I often use capitalized interjections, exclamation points and so on to express myself. More for fun than out of hostility. Maybe she's done likewise?:001_smile:

[Jeanne in MN]

We are in the middle of it right now-well, towards the end actually. Being as i struggle with isolation, I can't help but think how horridly, awful she's so alone! And since death has been really weighing heavily on me, all the death has been depressing for me too.

 

However, the book is getting better, she has some brighter moments. I also read this book as a kid and remember really enjoying it. I certainly looked at it through different eyes then. Overall, I do think it's a good book and my dd is enjoying it.

 

If it's questionable for you, skim ahead and see what happens. Good luck!

[anewday]

I read this book in PS and so did my oldest, before we started home schooling.

 

I find Scott O'Dell's books to be very intense. I hated Island as a kid because abandonment was an issue for me. I think there are books that you should not go into "cold", and O'Dell's are definitely on that list. The King's Fifth is a fantastic book, but man! I wish I'd had a heads-up about that one, too. Very, very intense.

 

I find that if I have to wrestle with the emotion that a book generates for me - that is, if I have a knee-jerk reaction to a book that causes me to have to sort through a lot of feelings - then I am less able to defuse the energy or emotion for my boys (who, I realize, may or may not have the same reaction as I did). So, for instance, my youngest, to whom I read TKF, was only able to say, "I hate those Spanish with their crazy gold fever!" after reading the book. I wasn't able to help him sort that out, unpack it with him, because I was so horrified, myself. Also, it was recommended for a younger set, and I don't think this one is at all appropriate for younger children. Or, if you do read it with youngers, be prepared to re-visit it at a later time when they can have a look at it with more mature eyes.

 

I feel like I'm using too many words here. Do you see where I'm going with this? I guess the bottom line is that you have my sympathy. Sounds like you were blind-sided by this one, as I was with TKF.

 

 

 

We are in the middle of it right now-well, towards the end actually. Being as i struggle with isolation, I can't help but think how horridly, awful she's so alone! And since death has been really weighing heavily on me, all the death has been depressing for me too.

 

However, the book is getting better, she has some brighter moments. I also read this book as a kid and remember really enjoying it. I certainly looked at it through different eyes then. Overall, I do think it's a good book and my dd is enjoying it.

 

If it's questionable for you, skim ahead and see what happens. Good luck!

 

Thank you both! You both hit on key things for me. My girls have dealt with the book well so far, but it IS very intense for them. For myself, the alone factor is what is so depressing to me. To ponder it at all, with having a dd close in age..."horrifying" is the best description I could come up with. I think it's just ME internalizing it. And to be frank, all 3 of us finish the book without much comment afterwards. In part, I just don't know where to begin with it.

 

I'm going to discuss it with them before we sit down to read it together again. I think it'll be harder for me than it will be for them. LOL

[anewday]

I often use capitalized interjections, exclamation points and so on to express myself. More for fun than out of hostility. Maybe she's done likewise?:001_smile:

 

Well....I edited the OP! :blushing::blushing::blushing: I mentioned burning the book, though I was joking...it just translated a wee bit "postal" I think! :tongue_smilie:

[JFSinIL]

I read it in 4th grade (in California) and it made such an impression on me that I made sure my kids read it, too. They also enjoyed it. When we were driving down the coast this June I pointed out into the fog off shore as we passed the Channel Islands and said "The Island of the Blue Dolphins is out there....somewhere." Kids were impressed.

[TracyR]

As far as reading isolated stories we started off with stories like Robinson Cursoe and Treasure Island. Treasure Island was a good start as the boy was a little older in the story but his father died and his mother was alone to take care of a pub/hotel on her own so the boy decides to go off on his own. Then we read stories like Swiss Family Robinson which has now led us to Island of the Blue Dolphins. I think that reading stories like the ones I mentioned first takes that isolation edge factor off a bit , not so much for the kids but for us grown ups too! :)

[Colleen]

Well....I edited the OP! :blushing::blushing::blushing: I mentioned burning the book, though I was joking...it just translated a wee bit "postal" I think! :tongue_smilie:

 

Yeah, people who read your edited version are probably wondering now why I said you sounded hostile.;) It did read kinda funny ~ wanting to throw the book across the room, burn the book, etc. Not that I thought you were going to have a bonfire solely for that purpose, but I was like, "Dawn, back away from the book. Breathe in, breathe out.":D

[Colleen]

For myself, the alone factor is what is so depressing to me. To ponder it at all, with having a dd close in age..."horrifying" is the best description I could come up with. I think it's just ME internalizing it.

 

Yeah, I see your point. For my guys, the book told like an adventure: How does this girl face and overcome the challenges set before her? For me, yes, I dwelt more on the loneliness, feeling really bad for her, wondering how on earth someone could live like that. It's moving in that respect, no question.

[A.J. at J.A.]

Keep reading! Keep reading! It isnt all lost.... I enjoyed this book as a kid. It was read to our class in 6th grade... I loved it! My daughter read it last year.... it is a good story... hope you can hang on...

 

I agree!! :iagree::iagree:

[newbie]

I am going to go against the grain here, and say I did not like this book one bit.

 

It was slow, drawn out and boring. It is a must read for sixth grade and won awards, so I thought I would read. It was one of worst books I have read.

 

Youngest dd felt the same.

 

Sorry,

Jet

[kls126s]

This was a hallmark book for me and has a special place in my heart for one simple reason - it was the first chapter book I read straight through on my own. I was home on a sick day in first grade and my mom handed it to me just to give me something to do I think. I just ate it up. I remember feeling so impressed with how she improvised and survived and feeling like "I could survive too! Girls are strong!". Early girl power! LOL

 

Looking at it now - I guess I could see where it would come across as boring or depressing. My dd is a very sensitive thing and she'd probably do like the pp... "Her dad DIED???!!!" and "They killed the OTTERS!??!!!" :lol: I laughed out loud reading that, actually, because that is just exactly how my dd would react.

 

My two cents - if you don't like it, don't finish it. Other than a few classics, I would say no reason to force yourself to read a book you really don't enjoy, so why would we force our kiddos to do it?

[Danestress]

It was sad, but it was also the real story of a real person's life, and that's just the way it happened. I really like how the author portrayed him dealing with his grief.

 

We often talk about "sailing by ash breeze" in our house!

[Danestress]

I read it at about the age of your oldest daughter, and I loved it. I actually wanted the be the girl. When I grew up, I was surprised to realize how really sad the novel was. As a child, it seemed like a grand adventure and I just remembered how fantastic all that was- I had forgotten about the brother.

 

So I guess if your daughters aren't enjoying it, then stop, by all means. But if there is a reason so many girls have loved this book.

[Margo out of lurking]

Is it allowed that I just chuck this book midway into it? Or skip to the very end and then chuck it? ;)

 

TOTALLY allowed! My dd hated this book, I didn't mind reading it aloud to her.

 

My "failure" was Henty. UGH!!!!

 

Believe me, there are loads of other GOOD books out there that you and your child will enjoy. If you don't like Island, then just stop!!

[klmama]

Keep reading. And also realize that our kids do not view books in the same way we do. Our life's experience layer on to our emotions and we 'feel' things about the story that kids have no way of understanding yet. That is how I was with Summer of the Monkeys. ds was about 6....I sobbed through parts of the end...ds just looked at me with amusement. There was nothing even remotely sad about it to him.

 

 

 

Oh, boy, I just scheduled this in for this year. Why did you sob? Death? Happiness? I cry so easily when I read to the dc, I like to know what kind of tears I'm going to shed ahead of time! If it's too huge, I can just cancel the library request!

[sagira]

It's funny you should mention Island of the Blue Dolphins, as I just picked it up from the ILs. Now I'm curious, but also a bit apprehensive I guess.

 

I bought The Secret Life of Bees on a recommendation of a lady at the library and never read it. Lent it to a 12-year-old friend of ours and she found it terrible, as someone's mother was killed or something like that. I felt so bad, I guess you don't know the sensitivity of people.

 

I for one couldn't get past Anne Rice's Queen of the ****ed (dh's book when he was a teen) as a daughter kills her mother in cold blood -- and I was pregnant expecting a daughter! Forget it, I put it right back at the ILs house and will never pick it up again. Not worth my time. I usually like Anne Rice, but no, not that one.

[Jeanne in MN]

 

Yeah, people who read your edited version are probably wondering now why I said you sounded hostile.;) It did read kinda funny ~ wanting to throw the book across the room, burn the book, etc. Not that I thought you were going to have a bonfire solely for that purpose, but I was like, "Dawn, back away from the book. Breathe in, breathe out.":D

 

 

Oh my! LOL! I get it now. :001_smile:

[TracyR]

Personally , reading it to myself the book doesn't seem so bad, but when you read it allowed it seems sad as the girl looses her Dad , her oldest sister and the rest of her tribe go off on a boat and the main character jumps off the boat and into the water because her brother got left behind because he had to go back for his spear, they are both stranded on the island wondering if this boat will ever come back for them, then her brother is killed by a pack of wild dogs , and there she is left on her own to fend for herself on the island hoping this ship will actually return for her.

 

That is about as far as we have gotten in the book. It really is a good story to read though. But if you can't get past those facts in the book it maynot be a good book to read for you and your family.

The story is based on a true story and I think the true story is just as sad in a way because here someone found this girl on an island and they only understood that her brother was killed by a pack of wild dogs as she signed this , but no one could understand her because none of the white men nor the other Indians could understand her language. So most of her real story has been left untold and alot of IOBD is mostly made up.

[Scarlett]

Oh, boy, I just scheduled this in for this year. Why did you sob? Death? Happiness? I cry so easily when I read to the dc, I like to know what kind of tears I'm going to shed ahead of time! If it's too huge, I can just cancel the library request!

 

The same guy who wrote Where the Red Fern Grows wrote SOTM....my mind is blank on his name...anyway, SOTM is NOT sad...LOL....not in the death and dying way. It is a wonderful book and I dont' want to spoil it for you...but basically it is about a boy coming of age and 'getting' that family is more important than his personal wants. He has a lovely grandfather and the time period is incredible and geographically about 1 hour from my house. I don't know why I sobbed. But it isn't sad---really. No deaths that I can recall. It is mostly one of the funniest books ever. My ds laughed and laughed.

[mo2]

I loved it as a child. But if you don't like it, stop reading and find another book.

[kalanamak]

My five year old really loved it. I even got him an audio version (well done, read by Tantoo Cardinal) and to me the voice of the woman is so positive. She loves the beauty of the animals. She makes them her friends. In short, she handles it like I hope I'd handle it.

 

Actually, the only sad part, to me, is that the real woman died 5 weeks after reaching California, possibly of a simple gastroenteritis she'd never met before. To me, she thrives. She stays healthy. She matures. She has her animal "family" whom she supports. She puts aside and plans for the future. However, I know that I'm a bit of a loner, so the life seems enviable is some ways.

 

But, I don't know how much I would have liked it at 10. I read it at 7 or 8. At ten I was more caught up by the suffering of others. I particularly liked how she assessed the danger of the fisherman, but "sussed out" the intents of the woman, and ended up trusting her.

 

I much prefer books like this to the "step-mothers are so mean" stuff that is common, e.g. James and the Giant Peach. Its the old man-against-the-elements. A real enemy!

 

The audio version we have:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Island-Blue-Dolphins-Scott-ODell/dp/0307243168/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217845854&sr=1-2

[BarbinTN]

We just finished Chapter 14 I think and we absolutely LOVE it!!!!!! It is such an easy read for us. There have been some books that I keep looking to see how many more pages we have to read but not this one! We are at the end before I know it!

 

Sorry you don't like it!

[paula j]

Ds and I both loved Island of the Blue Dolphins when we did sl core 5. Of course we have been using sonlight for 5 years so we are used to "sad" things happening in books.

[Mama2Three]

I'm in the "liked it" category. I found it to be a book about hope and courage rather than loss. But to each her own! :)