AllMovie

Based on the popular children's story by Scott O'Dell, this family movie tells of the true adventures of a young Native American girl. After her father is killed by a malevolent white trapper, Karana (Celia Kaye) joins her community as they leave their island home in the Pacific to live on the mainland. Upon her departure, Karana realizes that her brother has been left behind. She immediately swims back to be with him and the two remain on the abandoned island. Though Karana is able to domesticate a wolf, her brother is not so fortunate with the animals and is killed by a pack of wild dogs. She is left to survive against the odds for several years before she has a chance to journey to the mainland herslelf. The adept cinematography of Leo Tover (Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Day the Earth Stood Still) greatly contributed to this outdoor adventure film as did appropriate music from prolific film composer Paul Sawtell.