Zia Paperback - 1995

First line

AFTER ONE of the big storms that come in from the islands, our shore is covered with small clams.

Excerpt

An excerpt from Zia

            "To the Island of the Blue Dolphins," Mando said. "We will find Karana
            and bring her home." He paused and his face lighted up. "We could
            put a sail on the boat and sail sometimes when the wind was blowing.
            Then we could row when it was calm. We could do both. We could row
            and sail. In two days or three we would reach the island."

            "Maybe she is not there now," I said.

            "Maybe she is dead," said Mando. "Maybe wild dogs ate her up."

            "It is possible," I said to put an end to these thoughts. "But the
            white man, Captain Nidiver, saw her footsteps in the sand when he
            was there last year."

            "Why did he not follow the footsteps? That's what I would like to
            know."

            "There was a storm coming up and he feared for his boat."

            "I will ask Mukat and Zando about these things. Then we will know.
            And maybe Father Merced also. No. Not him. Father Vicente? Maybe he
            will come with us. It would make it easier with three of us. The I
            could fish while we sailed along. It would be easier even if I did
            not fish. But I am afraid of what Father Merced will say. Likewise
            Father Vicente. They may not allow us to go."

            I felt angry. "We will go anyway, whatever is said. We are not chained
            to the earth. We have a boat and oars and an anchor. What are they
            for? They belong to us. To go out in San Felipe lagoon, is that what
            they are meant for?"

            

Media reviews

"An almost unbearably moving story of what happened to the Indian woman, Karana, when she had been left alone at the end of The Island of the Blue Dolphins....Bound to be among the outstanding books of the year, on everyone's list."--Publishers Weekly.