Island of the Blue Dolphins
About
Left alone on a beautiful but isolated island off the coast of California, a young Indian girl spends eighteen years, not only merely surviving through her enormous courage and self-reliance, but also finding a measure of happiness in her solitary life.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
How does this story begin?
Page 5 — We meet Karana, the Girl With the Long Black Hair and her little brother, Ramo; a ship with a Russian and Aleuts approach the people to hunt sea otters; a deal is reached so the people of the island get the same amount of sea otters as the people hunting them as payment
5
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Do you agree with the chief to keep the fish for his tribe, or should he have shared?
Page 12 — Listen to your child’s answer
12
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
What signs did the visitors show they were leaving the island soon?
Page 16 — The Russian trimmed his beard; the Aleuts skinned the sea otters; the Aleut woman cleaned her skin aprons
16
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
Why was there fighting between the Aleuts and Karana’s people?
Page 21 — The Russian didn’t want to pay the people of the island
21
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
List two troubles the tribe had after the battle.
Page 24 — There were only 15 men left in the tribe; women helped hunt and gather food, and the men looked down on the women for this; the tribe was sorrowful
24
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
What good news came in this chapter?
Page 32 — Kimki made it to the land he was searching for and sent white men to bring back Karana’s people
32
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
What was exciting, scary and frustrating in this chapter?
Page 35 — Exciting: a boat came to take the tribe to a new land; Scary: Ramo ran back to get his fishing spear and the boat left him, Karana jumped out of the ship and swam back to shore; Frustrating: Karana’s skirt got ruined
35
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Describe the tragic event in this chapter.
Page 43 — Ramo left in the morning to bring a canoe around to the cove but was killed by wild dogs
43
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
How did Karana have courage in this chapter?
Page 58 — She decided to sail for the land east of hers
58
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
What gave Karana hope as she paddled back to her island?
Page 63 — The dolphins jumping ahead of her canoe
63
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Why did Karana decide to never leave the island again?
Page 65 — It was her home; she was grateful to be back
65
What factors did the main character take into account as she was deciding where to build a home?
Page 66 — The wind, the noise of the sea elephants, the wild dogs/foxes, flow of the spring, if she can see the cove if the ship returns
66
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
Describe one preparation Karana made in this chapter and why you chose it. Fence, home, weapons.
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
Was Karana successful in getting her bull? Explain.
Page 79 — No, she adventures to the shore where the animals were sitting and the one she shot at got into a fight with another bull
79
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
What happened to the old bull?
Page 85 — He died in the fight with the other bull
85
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
Describe the leader of the wild dogs and what happened to him?
Page 89 — He’s an Aleut dog; Karana shot him, but nursed him back to health; he stayed with her and she named him Rontu
89
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
Why was it beneficial for the main character to canoe around her entire island?
Page 97 — She could see if her canoe leaked; she found a cave close to her house where she could hide her canoe; she found a large devilfish and was determined to make a special spear to catch him
97
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
How much time does one sun equal?
Page 102 — One day
102
Why was it important that the main character let Rontu fight the other dogs without interference?
Page 105 — He had an advantage he might not have again
105
Chapter 18
Comprehension questions
What new friends did Karana make that spring? Explain.
Page 109 — Two baby birds; she took them from their nest and put them in a cage; she trained them to stay close and eat from her hand
109
Chapter 19
Comprehension questions
What king of water creature is the devilfish?
Page 118 — An octopus
118
Did Karana kill the giant devilfish she was hunting?
Page 119 — Yes
119
Chapter 20
Comprehension questions
What threat was in this chapter?
Page 125 — The Aleuts came back
125
How did the main character react?
Page 125 — She made her house look like no one lived there and put food and water in her canoe
125
Chapter 21
Comprehension questions
How many days is equal to a moon?
Page 131 — A month/30 days
131
Do you think the Aleut girl has good intentions and is friendly? Why, or why not?
Page 131 — She was nice to Karana and brought a necklace to her
131
Chapter 22
Comprehension questions
Why was Karana happy to have Tutok to interact with?
Page 138 — Tutok was a friend and kept her company
138
Chapter 23
Comprehension questions
List the friends Karana has made so far in this story.
Page 144 — Rontu, the two birds, the otter Mon-a-nee
144
How did she make friends with these animals?
She was nice to them and respected them; she fed them; if they were wounded, she looked after them
Chapter 24
Comprehension questions
Why did the main character decide she didn’t want to kill the wild dogs, birds, otters and other animals?
Page 149 — She appreciated the friendship of those animals that were her companions
149
Chapter 25
Comprehension questions
Why did Karana stop counting moons and seasons?
Page 151 — She accepted being alone on the island and no longer hoped that the white men were coming back
151
Why is this chapter so sad?
Page 152 — Rontu died
152
Chapter 26
Comprehension questions
How did Karana catch another dog?
Page 156 — She made the dogs all go to sleep and took home the one that looked like Rontu
156
Chapter 27
Comprehension questions
What natural disasters hit the island in this chapter?
Page 159 — Tsunami and earthquakes
159
What’s a tsunami?
Giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the sea
Chapter 28
Comprehension questions
How has the character changed in this story?
Page 167 — She was lonely and ready to leave her island and go to where people lived
167
How do you think Karana felt to see the ship leave the island again?
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 29
Comprehension questions
Why did the white men sew Karana a dress to wear?
Page 172 — What she was wearing must not have been appropriate to wear to the new land
172
Why didn’t the ship come back for Karana?
Page 173 — It sunk
173
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