• Island of the Blue Dolphins

  • By: Scott O'Dell
  • Narrated by: Tantoo Cardinal
  • Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (2,383 ratings)

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Island of the Blue Dolphins  By  cover art

Island of the Blue Dolphins

By: Scott O'Dell
Narrated by: Tantoo Cardinal
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Publisher's summary

In the Pacific, there is an island that looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea birds abound. Karana is the Indian girl who lived alone for years on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Hers is not only an unusual adventure of survival, but also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery.

©1960 Scott O'Dell (P)1995 Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, a Division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.

Critic reviews

  • Newbery Medal Winner, 1961

"Narrator Tantoo Cardinal more than succeeds in delivering a lovely listening experience. Her accent and pronunciation are first rate. The music adds to the story with an ethnic sound. When the Russians invaded the island, many islanders were killed or fled. Some, like the young girl, Karana, were accidentally left behind. Karana's survival in remote isolation is moving and unforgettable. Both the text and Cardinal's style make the listener feel...part of Karana's isolation and maturation." (AudioFile magazine)

What listeners say about Island of the Blue Dolphins

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,671
  • 4 Stars
    422
  • 3 Stars
    165
  • 2 Stars
    58
  • 1 Stars
    67
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    141
  • 2 Stars
    61
  • 1 Stars
    55
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,379
  • 4 Stars
    275
  • 3 Stars
    109
  • 2 Stars
    26
  • 1 Stars
    29

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I love this audible it was great she sounded like she

She sounds like she is Karana I have the book but I need help reading chapter books.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Timeless

This book was originally read to our class by my elementary school teacher. Listening now with my son, has been a double pleasure.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Island of the Blue Dolphins

A great audio read. Makes me love the story all over again. If you've never read or heard about the story then give it a shot.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • S
  • 02-04-20

music was too often too loud

it was fine but kind of boring would not recommend it to anyone who has add

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Just as I remember.

Read this book in 5th grade and it's just as I remember. I love this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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It was nice!

I loved it! What an ingenious book! : ) I recommend this great book to my friends.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love the narrator’s voice- incredible

So beautiful. Narrator’s voice is perfect choice for this book.
Loved this story so much!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Still love the book.

when I was young, my teacher read this book to us, enjoyed it then, and enjoyed it now.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great Story

This is a great story especially for young girls. The narrator is awesome. As a teacher, I would play this to the book group. Hearing a different, proficient reader is positive for kids.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Read as a child and still love this book today!

I had this book as a child and loved it, so I was excited to see it pop up on Audible. The story is just as good as i remembered, and the narrator was great!! The only thing I did not enjoy was the music. It would crescendo and get so loud during pivotal moments of the book that I had trouble hearing the dialogue over the music. It’s fine when between chapters or scenes, but not while the narrator is speaking. It was rather distracting.

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1 person found this helpful