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Island of the Blue Dolphins
Island of the Blue Dolphins | Scott O'Dell
151 posts | 443 read | 2 reading | 37 to read
Far off the coast of California looms a harsh rock known as the island of San Nicholas. Dolphins flash in the blue waters around it, sea otter play in the vast kep beds, and sea elephants loll on the stony beaches.Here, in the early 1800s, according to history, an Indian girl spent eighteen years alone, and this beautifully written novel is her story. It is a romantic adventure filled with drama and heartache, for not only was mere subsistence on so desolate a spot a near miracle, but Karana had to contend with the ferocious pack of wild dogs that had killed her younger brother, constantly guard against the Aleutian sea otter hunters, and maintain a precarious food supply.More than this, it is an adventure of the spirit that will haunt the reader long after the book has been put down. Karana's quiet courage, her Indian self-reliance and acceptance of fate, transform what to many would have been a devastating ordeal into an uplifting experience. From loneliness and terror come strength and serenity in this Newbery Medal-winning classic.In celebration of the book's 50th anniversary, this edition has an introduction by Lois Lowry, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Giver and Number the Stars.
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mh930121

“After that summer I never killed another otter, wolf, or cormorant. And I never again went to the reef for shellfish or wild dogs to kill them. The animals seemed to trust me.“

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mh930121

This book teaches important lessons about resilience, self-reliance, and the bond between humans and the natural world.

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mh930121
Pickpick

Set in the early 1800s, this Newbery Medal-winning book tells the story of Karana, a young Native American girl who is stranded alone on an island off the coast of California for years. Based on a true story, the book explores Karana‘s survival, her relationship with nature, and her inner strength as she learns to fend for herself and adapt to her isolation.

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ed669621

“I would not be afraid. I would not be lonely. I would not be afraid of the dark.”

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ed669621

This book can link to my teaching in the classroom by fostering discussions on survival, self-reliance, and cultural history, as well as encouraging students to connect with their own experiences of overcoming adversity.

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ed669621
Pickpick

This book was published in 1960 and is a historical fiction novel by Scott O'Dell that won the Newbery Medal. The story follows a young girl named Karana, who survives alone on an island off the California coast after her tribe leaves, facing numerous challenges as she learns to fend for herself.

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Yuki_Onna
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Eggs One of my favorites ❤️ 2mo
Yuki_Onna I just realized that this would qualify for #You'veReread too, as I read it twice in my childhood/early teens. I remember liking it a lot as well!
@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
2mo
15 likes2 comments
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Follow.my.read
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One for me one for my granddaughter are together read! #islandofthebluedolphins#ScottOdell#NanaBookclub

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LiseWorks
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Eggs A wonderful book🩵🩵 3mo
23 likes1 comment
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AvidReader25
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Pickpick

This was a favorite of mine when I was young, and I loved reading it with my daughter this month. As an adult, I was struck by how determined, resourceful, and brave Karana is. I also researched the true story behind the book a bit and was fascinated to learn more about the history. There are some dark moments, but it led to great discussions.

emz711 This is my "I don't remember the title but it was blue" book 7mo
TheBookHippie I love this book. 7mo
See All 7 Comments
AvidReader25 @TheBookHippie It was such an important one for me when I was growing up. I feel like there were rarely books about a girl surviving on her own. 7mo
TheBookHippie @AvidReader25 I agree -it was a favorite of mine as well, I read it several times back then! 7mo
BkClubCare You are an awesome mom! 👏 7mo
AvidReader25 @BkClubCare I love seeing my girls discover their own love of reading! 7mo
36 likes7 comments
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InkedBookworm13
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#TLT
1. Island of the Blue Dolphin
2. The Secret Garden
3. The Outsiders

Honorable mentions : White Oleander, Perks of Being a Wallflower, Simon & the Homosapiens Agenda, The Princess Diaries series and the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson Series.

@dabbe

dabbe #1 reminds me of O'Dell's SING DOWN THE MOON, another fave. #2: Yes! And many consider THE OUTSIDERS to be the first “official“ YA novel written solely for teenagers. Thanks for sharing! 💚💙💚 8mo
23 likes1 comment
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Susanita
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I finished this lovely and wistful book today as part of the #FabulousFebruary readathon. Tomorrow I‘ll continue my tour of local LFLs as part of #readordonate for the year.

Andrew65 Excellent 🎉🎉🎉 8mo
36 likes1 comment
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Susanita
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1. Kinsey Millhone
2. Samwise Gamgee
3. Tagged book is a palate cleanser after the intensity of the last book I finished. It‘s also intense in its own right.
#wondrouswednesday

Eggs Love O‘Dell❣️ 8mo
32 likes1 comment
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sebrittainclark
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TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! Fantastic month!!! 11mo
38 likes1 comment
review
sebrittainclark
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Pickpick

5/5

The only thing I remembered about this book going in was that I loved it as a child. It's a lot sadder than I remembered (and the real story of the woman it's based on is even sadder), but I think it still holds up really well.

Ruthiella I loved this as a child too. 12mo
Cortg I need to do a reread of this one. It‘s been on my mind and it keeps popping up in conversation lately. Weird. 12mo
Roary47 I remember my Dad in fourth grade (He was my teacher- small town life) played movies every Friday that were books. I remember this one and “Where the Red Fern Grows” the best. There is something about this one that has my heart. I finally read it as an adult. I‘m so glad you liked it. 12mo
MissyD I loved these book when I read it. Brings back some good memories. I remember the first time i read it: Sitting on my great grandparents porch, and then hiding up in the big tree where my sister couldn‘t find me. 🤣 12mo
ChaoticMissAdventures This was one of my favorite books as a kid also! It led to a ton of dolphin presents for years .... 12mo
52 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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sebrittainclark
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audiobook: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
e-book: Dracula Daily by Matt Kirkland
nonfiction: The Milkweed Lands by Eric Lee-Mäder & The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023 by Carl Zimmer & Jaime Green

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

ShyBookOwl I was OBSESSED with Island as a little kid! Does it hold up??? I'm worried it's actually terribly racist 😬 12mo
sebrittainclark @ShyBookOwl I also loved it, but remembered nothing. I'm about halfway through. It's sadder than I remembered, and it doesn't use the language we would use today for some things, but so far I haven't picked up on anything very racist. 12mo
41 likes2 comments
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hissingpotatoes
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Pickpick

3.5/5⭐ An absorbing imagining of true historical events. I appreciated the themes of colonialism, environmentalism, friendship, and respect for animals. Karana is such a competent, interesting character. It's a quiet book with an incomplete ending. It didn't blow me away, but I'm glad I read it. #roll100

TheBookHippie I enjoyed this one too. 2y
20 likes1 stack add1 comment
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cm779518
Pickpick

This book is a winner of the Scott O‘Dell award. This book is amazing. It is about a 12 year old girl who is stranded on an island and she has to find her way around and survive!

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Hannahhh7
Pickpick

Island of the Blue Dolphins is a historical fiction book written by Scott O'Dell. It was published in 1960. This novel is about a 12 year old Indian girl named Karana. Every person on her island leaves on a ship. Karana is stranded on the island alone for 18 years. This book talks about her survival throughout the years and also has a tale of natural beauty. Island of the Blue Dolphins has won the Scott O'Dell award, the Newbery Medal and more!

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oliviascrimo

Scott O‘Dell Award Book
February 8th, 2010
Island of the Blue Dolphins is about a 12-year-old that was stranded on an island and must use her prior knowledge and teach herself how to survive on this island.

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Jburns13

This story is about a young 12 year old girl named Karana who ends up all alone and stranded on an island far away where she is off of the California Coast.

Jburns13 Published: 1960

Author: Scott O'Dell

Genres: Children's Literature, Young Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction

Awards: Scott O'Dell
2y
1 comment
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Brandy522
Pickpick

Title: Island of the Blue Dolphins
Author: Scott O'Dell
Published: 1960
Genre: Children's lit. Young adult
Awards: Scott O' Dell
Summary: This is a true story about a 12 year old girl that was stranded on an island. This story talks about the many ways that the little girl had to stay alive.

review
MaddieBrown3
Mehso-so

Name of Award (if applicable): Scott O‘Dell Award
Purpose of Award (if applicable): honor historical fiction best books
Title of Book : Island of the Blue Dolphins
Author of Book: Scott O‘Dell
Date of Publication: 1960
Genre: Historical Fiction
Brief Summary:
This young child was stranded on an island. She has to survive on the land. She is only there with the blue dolphins. She waits for a ship to come save her trying to survive.

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Hcecrle

This chapter book is about a young native American girl who lived 18 years alone on an island of the coast of California waiting for a ship to pick her up. Along her journey, she learns how to survive on the island with the resources that the island provides. I would recommend reading this story to any age group as a read-aloud. This story won the Scott O'Dell Award.

Hcecrle Historical fiction
Published in 1960
(edited) 2y
1 like1 comment
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rubyslippersreads
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One of my favorite books as a kid. In this special edition, I found out #Betsy-Tacy author Maud Hart Lovelace had something to do with that.

She and her husband Delos encouraged Scott O‘Dell to write this for kids rather than adults, and to make other changes, based on their expert knowledge of the children‘s book market at that time.

Thanks for the tag @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 😘 #AlphabetGame #LetterI

Tagging anyone who wants to play! 😊

LeahBergen That‘s a cool “fun fact”! 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing! 2y
jlhammar Oh, interesting! This was one of my favorites too. 2y
kspenmoll I loved this too! 2y
MemoirsForMe I just saw this. Fascinating trivia! 🙌🏻 2y
45 likes4 stack adds5 comments
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ElleMNOpe
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Pickpick

Reread of a childhood favorite & I still loved it. A female, tropical version of Hatchet, the plot was adventurous & atmospheric. I also learned it was based on a real person. There is a lot of nostalgia attached to my rating, but I still found it to be a fantastic middle grade read with a strong female protagonist. The writing isn't overly complex, but fits the story well. There are a lot of good lessons & I think it holds up really well.

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Kay Spencer

It's nice to see that Karana has made some friends, and even though she couldn't exactly talk to them, she had ways to communicate. Karana is such a strong character, and she leaves impact on me. She makes me want to be as strong as her.

2 likes1 stack add
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Kay Spencer

This book is really sad to be honest. The main character Karana has been living alone for an immensely long time. I try to place myself in her shoes but it's hard. she has lost her family, her brother is killed by a ferocious dogs, and she is handling it to the best of her abilities. The memories of ones who are gone makes her stomach turn, and eventually she burns her village to the ground, starting over. It's a rather interesting book.

MrsBabki Needs editing. 3y
4 likes1 comment
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BeckyWithTheGoodBooks
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1. In our camper!
2. Camp Anawanna
3. The tagged book is a favorite from my childhood
3. Finish 2 books

#litsysummercamp #litsysummercampreadathon #saluteyourshorts

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sblbooks
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Pickpick

Both of these novels were very popular when I was a middle grade reader.
4.5⭐ Island of the Blue Dolphins Karana is left to survive on her own. While the rest of her tribe is relocated to another Island. A blast from the past.

3⭐ Dear Mr. Henshaw The first epistolary novel I ever read. Leigh writes his favorite author Mr. Henshaw, almost daily. Divorce was a huge deal in the 80s.

@megnews #MGMarch #MiddleGradeMarch

Soubhiville I loved both of these! 4y
megnews I‘ve never read this one but love Cleary. And epistolary novels. I agree about divorce being a big topic at the time. And missing kids. 4y
SaturnDoo Great review. I just ran across a copy of Island of the Blue Dolphins. Seems like I remember that being a movie too. Way back in the 70s. 4y
sblbooks @SaturnDoo I didn't know there was a movie, I may try to find that. 4y
SaturnDoo @sblbooks Yes, it looks like the movie was released in 1964. I remember watching it when I was a kid in the 70s 🤣 but I can't remember what I did 5 mins ago. 4y
47 likes5 comments
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Ruthiella
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As far as I‘m aware, San Nicolas off the coast of California is currently still uninhabited. And as an adult, I see this book much differently than when I first read it. But as a child, I loved it and I so admired Karana and her self sufficiency.

#LitsySpringBreak. Island

sarahbarnes Wow, I loved this book as a kid! ❤️ 4y
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes Me too. I remember being enthralled. 4y
TheKidUpstairs I loved this one, too! Would be interesting to reread 4y
Ruthiella @TheKidUpstairs I should reread it! As an adult, the loss of her family would hit me hard. As a kid, that kind of thing didn‘t phase me. Only animal deaths made me cry as a child. 4y
43 likes4 comments
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Emiranda
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Pickpick

This HF Newberry award winner is a popular book read in elementary school. This book is a story about a 12 year old girl called Karana who is stranded on an island and has to work out how to survive. The book is very captivating. This book would be a great author study as Scott O‘dell has written many notable books and established an award for historical fiction books.

Emiranda https://www.readingrockets.org/howto EL 29 is used in an author study as they would research using many different materials. UDL 3.2 is used while they are highlighting the author. #UCFLAE3414SP21 4y
5 likes1 comment
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Curiouser_and_curiouser
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I made it! My original goal was 24, as last year I'd read 18, which was a lot for me at the time because I haven't been reading regularly since my son was born in 2002.
So I upped it to 50 as I was bubbling along at around a book per week anyway.
I'm impressed and proud of myself that I was able to achieve this. My books are so delicious that I just want to gobble them all up!!
That is why I set my goal, keeps me wasting my time elsewhere.

Bits Congrats!!! 4y
Freespirit Well done 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 4y
BookmarkTavern Congrats! 🎉🎉🎉 4y
See All 7 Comments
AmyG Yay🎉 4y
Hooked_on_books That‘s awesome! 🍾🥂 4y
Crazeedi Yay!!!👏👏👏 4y
57 likes7 comments
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Curiouser_and_curiouser
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Pickpick

Just finished this beautiful book. So sad for her to have been alone for so many years. Amazing that she had learned and discovered enough skills to survive, both physically as well as mentally.
Such an intriguing story, true as it is based on. Scott O'Dell did a fantastic job of painting a picture of her life, her thoughts & the atmosphere of the island itself.
I loved this book, I think I will definitely try again to read it with my daughters.

49 likes2 stack adds
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Curiouser_and_curiouser
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Snuggled up tonight reading this fascinating story. The strength & will of this young girl is amazing & the relationship she has with the wild dogs & her surroundings is riveting.
Stranded on her native island she survives alone waiting year after year for someone to find her.
My 11yr old lost interest but I've picked it back up again to read for myself. It's definitely more enjoyable than a couple of other books I'm cranking my way through 😏

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HeathHof
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#3books #withananinalonthecover All three of these were wonderful and haunting in their own ways. 💙
@alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 👍🏻📚👍🏻 4y
52 likes1 comment
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Sace
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#ThoughtfulThursday Thanks for the tag, @MoonWitch94

1. I read th tagged book on a family trip to Hilton Head when I was a kid and I've associated with the beach/ocean ever since

2. I put in my official notification for retirement 🎉🎉🎉

3. Oh gosh I don't think I have one!

Wanna play? @ozma.of.oz @RamsFan1963 @BeaG @Nute @Chrissyreadit @Laughterhp @TheAromaofBooks @ErinSueMreads @Meaw_catlady

Meaw_catlady Yay ! Good luck with the retirement process! Thanks for the tag! 🖤 4y
TheAromaofBooks Yay retirement!!! 4y
See All 6 Comments
S3V3N Sooo jealous of your retirement.☺️ I‘m counting down to retirement. Congratulations! 4y
MoonWitch94 Congratulations on your pending retirement! That‘s fantastic 🌞 4y
Josee.lit.a.lu.et.lira Retirement, yé ? 4y
47 likes6 comments
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Curiouser_and_curiouser
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My girl is an adventurer.
She's a fussy reader this one, but I thought this story might be something she would like as the young girl is 12 at the beginning of the book, my girl is 11.

The story is about a young girl living on an island with her family when one day a ship comes and takes the entire tribe away, except for her.
This is based on a true story.
It covers over 10 years of this young girl surviving all on her own on her native island.

Carissa-Green-Reads A book of my childhood. . . 4y
Curiouser_and_curiouser @Carissa-Green-Reads oohhh, I am sorry I never had the chance to read it, although I was an avid reader. I'm looking forward to reading it with my girl 💙 4y
HeathHof I loved this one growing up! I still have an old copy to revisit one of these days. 4y
See All 12 Comments
TheAromaofBooks If she enjoys this one, she may also like My Side of the Mountain, which is about a kid who runs away to the mountains & lives off the land. These were both favorites of mine when I was her age!! 4y
robinb I need to read this! 😩 Your daughter‘s a cutie! 😊 4y
kspenmoll I loved this when I was young! 4y
Tanisha_A Cute photograph! Book sounds good. 🙂 4y
Jess861 I loved this book when I was around 8-9 years old. In fact it still sits on my bookcase. 4y
Curiouser_and_curiouser @TheAromaofBooks Thank you for that, I will keep that in mind for her. My husband also bought her Swallows and Amazons which has a similar theme but the children come back home again after their visits. Awesome suggestion, thanks again 😊 4y
TheAromaofBooks Oh, I just read Swallows & Amazons for the first time last year and I LOVED it SO much! There's a whole series of books about the same children, which I didn't know before, so I've been collecting them as I go - getting ready to start book 7 and they've all been absolutely delightful! 4y
Curiouser_and_curiouser @TheAromaofBooks oh wow, I didn't know that about Swallows and Amazons. I will have to read the book first though, hopefully with my daughter. Then I will be on the hunt for the series 😉 Thanks again! 4y
Curiouser_and_curiouser @robinb aaawww, thank you, she may be cute but she's a bit of a handful, I call her my Pixie. Yes, I sure am looking forward to reading it also. 4y
55 likes1 stack add12 comments
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annahenke
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Insomnia tonight. Time to listen to an old childhood favorite. #nostalgia #audiobook

Deifio Oh I remember reading this in school! 4y
annahenke @Deifio love it! 4y
bookish_words What‘s this book about, I read a book with dolphin in the title when I was in elementary school and I don‘t know if it‘s this one 4y
See All 9 Comments
annahenke @ceci_reads it‘s about a young indigenous girl who stays on the island and lives on her own with the dolphins following a Russian invasion that empties the place. 4y
bookish_words @annahenke sadly it‘s not the same one but I‘ll add this to my list because it sounds like it‘d be a good read 4y
annahenke @ceci_reads this one is a children‘s classic - highly recommended! A newbury award winner! 4y
WJCintron This is the first book I read in English. The first book I read for the pleasure of it. I think I was in ninth grade. Since then I love to read!!! 4y
annahenke @WJCintron oh love that! This is a particular favorite of mine ❤️ 4y
92 likes2 stack adds9 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

This was book no. 16 for May's #BookSpinBonanza, and playing on my theme of long (LONG) overdue rereads, I hadn't picked this one up since high school! I've always been a sucker for stories about people surviving in the wilderness, so I enjoyed this book both then and now. Nothing mind-blowing here, but an enjoyable and engaging read based on a true story.

FantasyChick Oh I LOVED this book growing up! 4y
TheAromaofBooks @FantasyChick - I felt like it aged really well. I still quite enjoyed it as an adult!! 4y
kspenmoll This was a favorite of mine growing up! 4y
MemoirsForMe I read this last year and was very impressed by the story and the author. 🙌🏻 4y
73 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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rubyslippersreads
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My tentative #JuneTBR. Two ARCs, three for book clubs, and one for the fun of royal gossip.

“I stood for a long time listening to her footsteps, until I could hear them no more, and then I went to the headland and brought the baskets back to the cave.” Most characters in the tagged book were #barefoot near the #ocean. (Come to think of it, the swashbuckling cats probably are too. 😹)

#jamminjune #boundtogetherjune #quotsyjun20 #multitasking

Eggs Loved Island of blue dolphins and Anastasia💕 4y
LeahBergen Empress Alexandra looks good! 4y
rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen Doesn‘t it? It‘s one of my ARCs, and I thought it paired well with I Was Anastasia. 😄 4y
OriginalCyn620 📚👍🏻📚 4y
cozypunk 😳 Swasnbuckling 😺 Cats???? 😍 4y
55 likes5 comments
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nukie19
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Gotta jump over to my book club book to finish by Tuesday. Excited to read my copy from when I was a kid, especially now that I live near where this took place. Should be a fun follow-up.

annahenke I adore this childhood classic 4y
8 likes1 comment
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_livia.bastos_
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Genre: Young adult fiction
Date started: 12/10/19
Date finished: 12/15/19
Why this book: Received it as a gift
Summary: *Look in the comments

_livia.bastos_ Summary: An Indian girl named Karana was left alone for years on the Island of Blue Dolphins. When her tribe left the island and sailed east, she was left behind after she jumped out of the boat to get something her brother left behind. She spent year after year waiting for a ship to take her to the place where her tribe was at. She survived many situations such as attacks against wild dogs and when enemies arrived on the island. 5y
1 like1 comment