RIDING FREEDOM

Narrator Melissa Hughes captures the spirit and determination of heroine Charlotte Parkhurst. This fictionalized account of a real girl growing up in the 1800s to become a renowned horsewoman and stagecoach driver resonates with pluck and can-do spirit. You just know as you listen to Hughes’s portrayal of this cheerful character that whatever hardships knock her down, Charlotte will pick herself up and find another way to make her dreams come true. Charlotte chooses while still young to become "Charley," realizing that the obstacles she faces will be more easily overcome if she appears to be a boy. Charlotte's special gift for working with horses will be sure to appeal to many a horse-crazy young listener. D.G. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2009]