Riding Freedom

This book keeps you wrapped in according to my ten year old. She loves this story and it’s on her reading list for school this year.

Read this book with my son and here is his review! "It left me speechless. You have to read it for yourself. It inspires you, breaks your heart, and makes me want a part 2!" This was a very good read for my son and I to bond over. It was perfect for his age. I have no critiques or complaints!

Bought this book for my collection of books I read as a kid and now my own can read it and enjoy. Follow the story of a little girl named Charlotte in the times where life was different and difficult for girls and what as she takes her own life into her own hands and follows what she loves doing most, riding and driving horses, the only creatures that have been consistent in the little orphaned girls life.

I teach middle school and used this book for our Historical Fiction unit. The kids found it fun and engaging. We read it quickly (good for a wide range of levels) and the kids were able to really engage with the themes. We then researched the real Charley Parkhurst and compared the author's decisions with what we would have done -- we wish there was more about Charley's adventures (facing down a robber! becoming a lumberjack! owning a saloon and a way-station!) but this was a good start to the genre and the idea of imaginative Historical Fiction (vs. Narrative Non-fiction -- which is far more adherent to the facts). My students loved it.

This book was assigned to my daughter to read at school. Wanting to connect with her over a book on her favorite topic (horses) I picked it up to read and didn’t put it down until I was finished. Just the right amount of history (without violence) with great details and storyline to keep the reader hooked the whole way through.

My 8 year old loves reading history related chapter books and this one did not disappoint. She truly enjoyed this book and would talk about it for days before going to the next chapter book.

My seven year old and I read this book together and we both loved it! This story is so well written. Both of us were fully entranced in the story. This is a must have for all girls- telling the story of a girl who wanted her rights and fought for them. The authors note at the end was really helpful and provided a great deal of detail about the real life story and gave my daughter and I a lot to talk about.

My daughter had this as part of a 4th grade summer reading list prior to actually going into 4th grade. I read it and really love the story of how the main character of the story was able to overcome the barriers of the time to achieve her dreams.