51 pages • 1 hour read
Zia
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Book Brief
192
Novel • Fiction
•
Children`s Literature•
Action & AdventureIsland Of The Blue Dolphins • 1800s
•
Animals•
Environment1976
Middle grade
10-14 years
Super Short Summary
Zia by Scott O'Dell follows a young girl named Zia, who lives in a California mission during the 19th century. She embarks on a courageous quest to rescue her aunt Karana, the sole survivor stranded on an island. The story explores themes of family, survival, and the challenges faced by Native American communities during this period.
Melancholic
Emotional
Bittersweet
Inspirational
Contemplative
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Zia by Scott O'Dell is praised for its engaging storyline and vivid descriptions, capturing the essence of the 19th-century Native American experience. Readers appreciate the strong, resilient protagonist and the historical context. However, some criticize its pace and character development as less compelling than its predecessor, Island of the Blue Dolphins.
Who Should Read Zia?
Readers who would enjoy Zia by Scott O'Dell are typically fascinated by historical adventures and survival tales, akin to fans of Island of the Blue Dolphins. They appreciate strong, young female protagonists and rich cultural settings, similar to those found in Hatchet and The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
Zia's aunt and a Nicoleño woman who lived in isolation on the Island of the Blue Dolphins for 18 years, Karana struggles with her displacement and remains a largely silent figure within the Mission community.
Zia’s younger brother, who shares in the struggles of Mission life but is eager to prove himself and seek freedom from the confines of the Mission system.
An Indigenous man who stewards the tribes at the Mission and becomes a leader in organizing resistance against their exploitation.
A benevolent Catholic priest at the Santa Barbara Mission who supports Zia and helps facilitate her wish to meet Karana, often opposing the military's violent practices.
The head of the garrison supervising the Mission, embodying military force and racial oppression while maintaining a fraught relationship with the Indigenous tribes and the priests.
192
Novel • Fiction
•
Children`s Literature•
Action & AdventureIsland Of The Blue Dolphins • 1800s
•
Animals•
Environment1976
Middle grade
10-14 years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 9,900+ additional titles.