It is an act of bravery for an author, after so many years, to pick up and rework the threads of a story that has achieved such resounding success. But for Scott O'Dell, the return [in Zia] to the setting of Island of the Blue Dolphins means a return to his fundamental interest in early California history. Not a sequel in the strict sense, the story should be welcomed by young readers who, much more than adults, care passionately about a favorite character and long to know what happened afterwards…. The second book lacks the stark unity and the haunting beauty of the first, but comparison is unfair. Zia's story is not meant to duplicate Karana's; it is told with simplicity and occasional flashes of humor and has its own individuality. (pp. 291-92)