Cauli Le Chat

Cauli Le Chat
Cauli Le Chat, MPL Feline Roving Reporter

Friday, January 14, 2011

Big Mean Wild Slobberdogs Terrorize a Pacific Island

If you've read Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell, which was first published in 1960 and won the Newbery Medal in 1961, then you'll already know what this blog is about.  It is a fictional account of a real life Native American girl who lived during the first half of the 19th century on San Nicolas Island, the outermost of eight Channel Islands (off the California coast).  Here's our book trailer for you.



This girl spent many years living alone on the island.  In the novel, she is surrounded by some huge, vicious, wild slobberdogs.  They do something really bad to her brother, but I won't go into details, although you can figure it out once you recall that she lived alone on the island for a long time.  She vows revenge, but she discovers that even wild, nasty slobberdogs are more bark than bite once you get to know them (try telling her brother that).  She has to face other terrors, such as invading Aleutian sea otter killers, who were responsible for driving her tribe from the island (when she was accidentally left behind).

This book is an exciting read, even if there are way too many slobberdogs and not any kitties, not even tigers or lions.  The author really grabs your attention from the outset, and he keeps a fairly tight grip until you've reached the story's conclusion.  The Lady With the Red Hair really liked this book when she was much younger.  She read it when she attended Newby Elementary School, which was back when they were using stone tablets, I think.

Well, her recommendation carries considerable weight, so take this book for a spin.  It won the Newbery Medal.  They don't hand those things out to just anybody.  You have to be a darned good writer, which Scott O'Dell demonstrated quite well with this work.  My only recommendation would have been this:  more dolphins, fewer slobberdogs.  Plus a couple dozen cats.


Not So Thrilled About Deserted Islands Anymore, Unless I Get Some Room Service,

Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
Pacific Seafood News Beat

2 comments:

  1. This is Friday's blog (January 14, 2011). I wrote it at 1:15 a.m., but it says Thursday (the day before). What's up with that?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey, isn't that Pacific Time Zone this blog is on? Well, the book is about a Pacific island, so there you have it.

    ReplyDelete

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