Cover of Island of the Blue Dolphins

Island of the Blue Dolphins

by Scott O'Dell

Widely assigned — 4 curriculum lists · 3 states

On reading-award lists:Newbery MedalNēnē Award (Hawai'i)William Allen White Children's Book Award

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell is assigned in US schools at grades 4–7, with a Lexile measure of 1000L. It appears across 4 curriculum references and 3 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Island of the Blue Dolphins is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Lexile
1000L
Grade range
Grades 4–7
Difficulty for grade
Within the grade 4–5 band (740–1010L)
Age range
Ages 9–12
Pages
192
Reading time
about 3h 30m (est.)
First published
1960
Genre
Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)
ISBN-13
9780547328614

Reading difficulty: At 1000L, Island of the Blue Dolphins falls within the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge.

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More formats & details

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About this book

Karana, a young Nicoleño girl, survives alone on an island off the California coast for 18 years — based on the true story of Juana Maria. O'Dell's Newbery Medal novel is a universal 5th-6th grade assignment and Common Core Appendix B exemplar.

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See all books like Island of the Blue Dolphins→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Historical Fiction (Middle Grade) title, reads at young-adult to upper-middle-grade complexity, typically at grades 4–7. Written in the 1960s; pairs with curriculum units on survival and solitude; cited across 4 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

survival · solitude · indigenous identity · nature · resilience

Content notes

death of family members · isolation · colonial encounters

Common Sense Media recommends age 10+.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Island of the Blue Dolphins?
Island of the Blue Dolphins is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–7, with a Lexile measure of 1000L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What is the Lexile level of Island of the Blue Dolphins?
Island of the Blue Dolphins has a Lexile measure of 1000L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
How long does it take to read Island of the Blue Dolphins?
It takes about 3h 30m to read Island of the Blue Dolphins (192 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 210 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
Is Island of the Blue Dolphins hard to read for 4th grade?
At 1000L, Island of the Blue Dolphins falls within the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
What curricula assign Island of the Blue Dolphins?
Island of the Blue Dolphins appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA), Newbery Medal, Nēnē Award (Hawai'i), and 1 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
1000L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
Grade band
Grades 4–7 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 4 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 3 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.

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