Summer Read: Island of the Blue Dolphins Part Two

My prediction was correct.  Her canoe started to leak and sadly she had to turn back.  But now she is making a house.  One of my favorite things to do as I read this book is to try to picture in my head what the places look like.  She talks about how she builds things, like the fence to protect her food, and I try to imagine it in my mind.  Sometimes it’s hard, because these items would be so different from what we are used to.  I try my best, because good readers use visualization, making pictures in their heads, to understand the text.  

Check out this picture I drew of what I think Karana's house looks like!

Summer Read: Island of the Blue Dolphins

I was excited to begin Island of the Blue Dolphins this summer.  I remember how Ms. Martinez dressed up as the main character, Karana, for he wax museum project.  Inspired by her love of the book, I wanted to check it out!  Getting recommendations on books to read from friends, family members, and coworkers is a great way to find out about interesting reads.

After the first few chapters, I wish Karana would share more with me.  She talks about her brothers death, the events that occurred, but doesn’t go very deep into how she felt.  She must have felt terribly sad, and maybe even guilty.  The whole reason she jumped off the ship was for him.  Now even though she risked her own life to save him, it was sort of all for nothing.  I feel very sorry for Karana but I want to know more about what she’s thinking, what she feels, and what she believes.

At this point in the book Karana has lived for several months all by herself.  She must be incredibly lonely.  But the book can’t go on forever like this.  So now she is taking a canoe to try and get to another island.  How can she make it?  I predict that she will have to turn back to her island.  The book is supposed to be about the Island of the Blue Dolphins and if she leaves it before the book is even halfway done that wouldn’t make sense.