Aerial images of the ocean scary. Satellite images are just plain terrifying. I will never go on a cruise and scuba diving is out of the question. The ocean is vast, endless. You can look up, down, left, right and still not know where you are. More importantly, you can’t see what monsters are sneaking up on you until they’re feasting on your limbs. The ocean is a place of nightmares. I could go into more detail, but this Buzzfeed post sums it up. Bad words could make it NSFW.
This has nothing to do with Island of the Blue Dolphins. I like to place an image under the book description to rest the eyeballs, so I thought it would be nice to include a picture of San Nicholas island for a point of reference. I had no idea I would find images lifted from my darkest nightmares.
I’m not sure I can write this post while staring into the face of evil, but I’ll try.
I really liked this book, which makes me suspect that the best books were written pre-1980 and all hope is lost for children’s literature. I look off into the horizon and all I see are quips and sound bites. Relax, I’m mostly kidding. I read and loved The Graveyard Book, and that was the 2009 winner.
Island of the Blue Dolphins has many of the characteristics I love in a book. There was history, adventure/survival, strong female characters, and a happy, but not overly-so ending.
This is Juana Maria (name given to her by the missionaries who found her), the woman believed to be Karana, the 12 year old girl in O’dell’s book who gets left behind by her tribe. In real life, Juana Maria was alone on the island for 18 years until she was found in 1853 at the age of approximately 50.
Captain Nidiver reported on the encounter in his memoirs The Life and Adventures of George Nidever. The party consisted of himself, another hunter named Charley Brown, “an Irishman we called Colorado from his florid complexion” and four Mission Indians. They landed on the island in July, planning several months hunting. Shortly after their arrival they found an “old woman” stripping blubber from a piece of seal skin. According to Nidiver’s account, instead of running way “she smiled and bowed, chattering away to them in an unintelligible language.” She was “of medium height… about 50 years old but …still strong and active. Her face was pleasing as she was continually smiling… Her clothing consisted of but a single garment of skins.”
Nidever had been requested by the Fathers at the Mission Santa Barbara to “bring the lost woman off [the island] in case we found her” and that is what they did about a month later.
At this point, it was known that there was only one woman on the island, which explains the search. Over 20 years earlier, after an attack by poachers decimated the Nicole�o tribe (300 to 20), the mainland attempted to rescue those left and rebuild the tribe onshore (allegedly–who knows the real plan, honestly). Maria Juana, it is believed, begged to stay behind because she couldn’t find her young son. It took them 18 years to find her again.
The book paints a vaguely happy picture of Karana’s future, but Juana Maria’s future was far less romantic. It is said she was excited when she reached California. She was amazed by the horses, the fruits and vegetables, the architecture and buildings. She danced and sang for the town, who all came to see her. She spoke in a language no one understood, so members of another tribe of Native Americans were to come to visit to see if they could translate her language.
Unfortunately, Juana Maria died 7 weeks after reaching California from dysentery. How she contracted it is unknown, but some speculate it was from her indulgence of fruits, vegetables, and grains after decades of a diet centered on fish and seal blubber.
[pauses to allow people to regroup after major bummer]
I liked the book, and I can see why it won the Newbery, but reading about the real “Karana” had a far bigger impact on me.
I read this book in college for a marine biology class. I was in Santa Barbara at the time, so it was a part of a series on local marine life. The book has survived many moves and brings a smile to my face each time I see it. I always think I need to pass this onto someone else who will keep it alive so that speak. Thankfully, my friend and local amateur librarian/bird rescuer has done this for me. Great review J. Despite, starring at adversity you tell yet another compelling story to encourage a good read. :)
Bah ha ha ha, that buzzfeed link was hilarious but all that scary stuff only exists in very deep waters, most scuba diving is done (relatively) close to shore. You should at least give snorkeling a go, it’s great fun to see little cute and happy fishies with the added benefit of being able to stand up if you want. I’m with you on the cruises however, I’ve read far too many accident reports to ever want to try an overnight ferry. I’m not sure I’ll get around to reading this book but as you said, I’m really interested in learning more about the Juana Maria.
I loved this book so much when I was a kid. Your library work and passion for passing a love of reading along to kids really takes me back. I was a nerdy little bookworm in elementary school, and our librarian, Ms Lyons, was one of my best friends. She’s the one who told me about the Newberry Awards, and encouraged me to read each one of them from our school library.
I don’t remember them all, but this one, and The Black Pearl have stuck with me through the years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Pearl_(Scott_O'Dell)
This was my favorite book! I think I read it in 4th or 5th grade and I just loved it. Now I’m curious about the real Juana Maria.
My 4th grade teacher read this book to us, I loved it and I think it was the book that got me really interested in reading. I read a lot now and always have at least 2 books going at a time. Oh, and I will be 57 in October, so the book made a big impression on me!
This was also my favorite book for a while when I was growing up (right in between The Boxcar Children when I was younger and Pride and Prejudice when I was older).
I loved this book! I was probably in 5th grade when I read it. I was in a survival book mode for several years, definitely my favorite genre. It gave way very naturally to lots and lots of Jack London in 7th grade, and basically every “up North” and “animal survival” story I could get my hands on. What a flashback. I, unlike most, LOVED middle school and only have great memories of it. I’m sure this book would still be popular with 5-8th graders.
This was a must-read when I was in school ( same age as Debby), it was the Wimpy Kids book of its’ day. My children and grand daughter all read it and afterwards, we went to the Santa Barbara Mission where Juana Maria is buried.
This is my favorite book from my childhood. I used to dream about what it would be like to live like she did and wondered if I would be able to do it. I’m not sure I would be able to.
Thank you so much for the back story on this. I had no idea. I’ll now have to go read the book again and then do some research!
I loved this book when I was a kid! I will have to reread it now. So interesting about the real Juana Maria–and very sad.
I saved this book (among many others – Up a Road Slowly being my all time favorite) from my childhood and just last week my daughter started reading it, so it was nice to be able to share your post with her (not the scary ocean link though – she and I are both with you on that one). Coincidentally, I’ve recently bonded with someone I met through work because she – and her husband – are both always carrying books, honest-to-goodness books with them whenever I see them. And just as with true music lovers, I recognized them for the true book lovers they are because they cross genres and eras like crazy – if it’s good, they’re reading it. She had just recently reread Island of the Blue Dolphins and was telling me that I MUST read it again as an adult.
Ha, I am also terrified of the ocean. For about 5 years, throughout law school and my career as an attorney, I dreamed of drowning nightly. Multiple times a night. Every. Single. Night. My nightmares disappeared after I quit having anything to do with the field of law, but I still have a healthy respect for any body of water, even our neighborhood pool.
The day I saw that picture of the passengers on the Concordia lined up a mile deep on the interior corridor trying to get out of the boat was the day I said OH HELLLLLL NO we are never ever going on a cruise.
https://static-secure.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/1/16/1326676769511/COSTA-CONCORDIA-CRUISE-BO-007.jpg