Island of the Blue Dolphins is a classic and beautiful read. The novel tells the story of Karana, a native girl on the island of the blue dolphins, who is left by herself on the abandoned island for many years. We follow her as she faces the wild dogs of the island, the incoming Aleuts, devilfish, storms, and eventually, her own loneliness.

This book is a masterpiece. It is easy to read and easy to enjoy. Though it was not the most intellectually stimulating read, I still learned lots about the culture in this boo, and loved the writing. The imagery is beautiful, and you feel attached to Karana. The story was a beautiful one, and even more so because it is based on true events (when I finished the book, I immediately went researching). While it is not overly complex, the plot is interesting, and I still felt hooked. As a fan of books about survival, I found this to be a stunning and ageless book by Scott O’Dell. I highly suggest you check it out.

If you finish it quickly (which is very likely) I would suggest Michelle Paver’s Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series, starting with Wolf Brother, and Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. These books have a similar subject, with an intense plot, and the same reading level.