dorothy Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I never read this book but notice that it is on every recommended book list - why? What is so special about it and at what point does it make sense to read it (history-wise)? thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 there was a discussion about this book a while back. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46839&highlight=island+blue+dolphins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn of ns Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I'm not sure what you mean by making sense history wise but my daughter and I read this past spring and we both loved it. I had read it as a kid and knew I'd fallen for it but it was wonderful reading it again and was the first read aloud since the Narnia books that I absolutely could not put down. We finished it in a few nights. I think it's on all the lists simply because it's a great story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivetails Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I snagged it at a used book sale because I *thought* I remembered liking it myself and wanted dd11 to try it -- since I couldn't remember much about it, I decided to read (re-read) it myself first and took it to bed one night...read through it...and realised that either I've mixed it up with something else, or I had way different taste back then..because I found it really boring. :tongue_smilie: It's tossed up in the closet for now. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 This first person novel is, IMO, a wonderful introduction in the mind of an adult. By pitting "woman against nature" (and a bit of man against man) and having the steps she took to cope, her logic, her feeling about it all, spelled out in detail, without overblown emotionalism, the author gives a child-level book a glimpse into bravery, loyalty, love, steadfastness, adaptability, fear, and grief. While not terrifying, it does address some facts of life: getting enough to eat, coping with being injured, dumb luck, hope. My 5 year old listened to the Tantoo Cardinal audiobook at least 30 times, and quoted full sentences from it. No other book as evoked such mature questions from him. Kiddo "plays" with the characters in Cricket in T.S., pretending to have a cricket, etc and such books, but IBD he treats as something solemn and important. It is a "mature" book, and he is "mature" about it. Perhaps others have seen this in children, and thus rate it highly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 It is a great book with a strong female main character who has to show bravery, brains, etc. to survive. AND it is based on a true story! And it has animals! What more can a kid ask??? I loved it - my kids have enjoyed it, too. BUT - if you absolutely dislike it - then pick something else. No one said everyone has to like the same books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Yeah, what she said, LOL..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn of ns Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Fivetails - It's probably a love it or leave it book. I'm a sucker for adventure novels where you get an in-depth look at how they cope with their survival. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Island of the Blue Dolphins is a fictional recreation of a true story. Geographically the island exists off the cost of California. It is now used as a military base. Also the Mission Santa Barbra ( the missions that helped rescue the main character of the story) is mentioned and at that time period the missions were very important to Californian history. Also it mentions the The Indians of Galas-at and the Aluets. Which can lead into further research about the tribes in that area. What they did in the 1850's , and do they exist today? So that is is why Island of the Blue Dolphins can be catagorized under history. Its historical fiction and it mentions these things I mentioned up above. As for why we like and read it? I liked it because it protrayed a very strong girl who had alot go on in her life and she fought for survival while living on an island all by herself. It shows perserverance, hope, and love for animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I never read this book but notice that it is on every recommended book list - why? What is so special about it and at what point does it make sense to read it (history-wise)? thanks. It is well written. It is a good woman against nature surviving story, but that said I still don't like it. No happy ending. It is one of those books that everyone should probably read once, then never read again. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Both of my boys enjoyed Blue Dolphins and they (sadly) don't enjoy much. Can you recommend other books written in this flavor? They also enjoyed Number the Stars and a short Anne Frank biography recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn of ns Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Gary Paulson's Hatchet and the rest of the books in Brian's Saga are a good survival type read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 Both of my boys enjoyed Blue Dolphins and they (sadly) don't enjoy much. Can you recommend other books written in this flavor? They also enjoyed Number the Stars and a short Anne Frank biography recently. Indian Paint by Glenn Balch.....very similar but a boy in northcentral US, also Indian, left behind, befriends wild horse through a harsh winter. Very similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahli Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 Both of my boys enjoyed Blue Dolphins and they (sadly) don't enjoy much. Can you recommend other books written in this flavor? They also enjoyed Number the Stars and a short Anne Frank biography recently. Those were some of my favorites too. I recommend Indian captive: the story of Mary Jemison by Lois Lenski, Wrinkle in Time and others by Madeleine L'engle, Roald Dahl books, My side of the Mountain, Robinson Crusoe, Jules Verne books, Swiss Family Robinson, Jack London, and I second the Gary Paulsen books. I realize the titles I recommended aren't all historical, but I think enjoying reading is so important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 Thank you!!! You are all wonderful :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 I cry every time I read Island of the Blue Dolphins. It's one of my favorite books to read aloud, but I can't do it too often. One thing that it can do for your children is help them to appreciate their family members. You know how they tend to take parents and siblings for granted. A "boy" book that we love here is Little Britches. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Britches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 It is a great book with a strong female main character who has to show bravery, brains, etc. to survive. AND it is based on a true story! And it has animals! What more can a kid ask??? I loved it - my kids have enjoyed it, too. BUT - if you absolutely dislike it - then pick something else. No one said everyone has to like the same books. Yup :) We loved it. It is not a well known book in Australia and I only found out about it from being on the international internet so much :) but we really loved it for all the above reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misty Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 Sing Down the Moon is another good book by the same author. It tells of two Indian girls who are kidnapped and try to escape back to their tribe. I believe the Indians are being pushed west in this book .. It's been a while since we've read it, but I seem to remember much suffering because of lack of food, water, etc. due to Indians being mistreated and pushed west. And we LOVED Island of the Blue Dolphins as well... I would like to see the movie, but it's only on VHS and very hard to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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