''Zia'' is the sequel to the award-winning ''

Island of the Blue Dolphins ''Island of the Blue Dolphins'' is a 1960 children's novel by American writer Scott O'Dell, which tells the story of a 23 year-old girl named Karana, who is stranded alone for years on an island off the California coast. It is based on the true ...

'' by

Scott O'Dell Scott O'Dell (May 23, 1898 – October 15, 1989) was an American writer of 26 novels for young people, along with three novels for adults and four nonfiction books. He wrote historical fiction, primarily, including several children's novels ...

. It was published in 1976, sixteen years after the publication of the first novel.

Plot

Zia is the 14-year-old niece of Karana, the

Nicoleño The Nicoleño were an Uto-Aztecan people who lived on San Nicolas Island in California. Its population was "left devastated by a massacre in 1811 by sea otter hunters". Its last surviving member was given the name Juana Maria, who was born befor ...

woman left behind on the Island of the Blue Dolphins in the previous book. Zia believes her aunt Karana to be alive, and with the help of her younger brother Mando, she sets out twice in an eighteen-foot boat on what are, ultimately, unsuccessful attempts at rescuing Karana. There is evidence on the island that she is still there, including small footprints in the sand, signs of cooking fires, and the remains of huts. So then she goes to Santa Barbara to get an even better chance of finding her aunt. Captain Nidever sails to the Island of the Blue Dolphins to hunt otters, bringing Father Vicente with him to find Karana. Meanwhile, Stone Hands, planning an escape for himself and the other Native Americans living at the mission, gives Zia the key to the girls' dormitory room. She unlocks the dormitory, and Captain Cordova puts Zia in prison, believing she was the instigator of the escape. Captain Nidever returns with Karana and her second dog, Rontu-Aru. Captain Cordova and Father Vicente argue, and finally free Zia from prison. Zia and Karana can't communicate, although Karana appears to be settling into society. She learns to weave baskets as the other

Mission Indians Mission Indians are the indigenous peoples of California who lived in Southern California and were forcibly relocated from their traditional dwellings, villages, and homelands to live and work at 15 Franciscan missions in Southern California and ...

do, loves melons, and is fascinated by the horses, of which there were none on her island. Originally, Karana is assigned to sleep in the women's dormitory, but Rontu Aru is separated from her and chained up in the courtyard, as the priests believe he is bringing fleas into the dormitory. Karana, unaccustomed to the company of others and missing her dog, moves out to the courtyard. Father Merced becomes very ill and dies, and Father Vicente takes over. He lets people sell the things that they make and allows them to keep the money. While Father Vicente is in charge of the mission, he goes with Karana and Zia to bring Stone Hands back from the canyon where the Native people tried to make a new home after they left the mission. When the church leadership sends Father Malatesta to be the new leader of the mission, Father Vicente leaves and goes to Monterey Bay. Stone Hands, Karana, and the others do not like Father Malatesta. Karana leaves the mission not long later when Father Malatesta does not allow her to sleep on the floor with Rontu-Aru. In the spring, Stone Hands and many of the Native people run away again because of the harsh treatment, and this time Mando leaves with him. Karana had been living in the same cave in which she and Mando had hidden the boat they found at the beginning of the book. On the day that Stone Hands and Mando leave the mission, Zia visits Karana again. She finds that Karana is very sick, but the priests at the mission will not help because Karana will not live there and work for the mission. In the morning, Karana dies. Zia then leaves the Mission and returns to her old home in the mountains with Rontu-Aru at her side.

Historical elements

Zia's aunt Karana, who was the main character of ''Island of the Blue Dolphins'', is based on

Juana Maria Juana Maria (died October 19, 1853), better known to history as the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island (her Native American name is unknown), was a Native Californian woman who was the last surviving member of her tribe, the Nicoleño. She lived ...

, a Nicoleño woman who lived alone on an island for 18 years. Captain George Nidever was the name of the real person who brought Juana Maria from her island to a mission.

Reception

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'' saw that "Zia's narrative continues the laconic precision and sober beauty we remember from Island of Blue Dolphins."

Editions

*Houghton Mifflin, 1976, (1st edition) *Laurel Leaf, 1978, (paperback) *Yearling, 1995, (paperback) *Laurel Leaf, 1995, (paperback reprint) *Rebound by Sagebrush, 1999, (school/library binding)

References

{{Portal, Children's literature 1976 American novels American children's novels Children's historical novels Sequel novels Books about Native Americans Houghton Mifflin books Novels set in California Novels set in the 19th century 1976 children's books Children's books set in California Children's books set in the 19th century