Pam Muñoz Ryan’s young adult novel Riding Freedom, illustrated by Brian Selznick, tells the story of Charlotte Parkhurst, growing up in a New Hampshire boys’ orphanage in the mid-1800s. Charlotte rebels against her society’s traditional gender roles. When she is told she can’t ride horses because she is a girl, she runs away to Worcester, Massachusetts where she takes a job as a stable hand under the pseudonym Charley.
Charlotte’s character development begins with her infancy. She proves herself to be resilient, recovering from illness and surviving the wagon accident that claimed her parents’ lives. Even Charlotte’s doctor comments that she is as "determined as a mule and tough as a rawhide bone." This strength and rugged individuality persist as Charlotte gets older, exemplified by her bold choice to run away from the security of the orphanage and on her own face a world she has learned limits choices for women. Charlotte lives as “Charley” in order to fulfill her dreams. She becomes a skilled stagecoach driver. Charlotte shows perseverance, continuing to pursue her goals by taking an opportunity to work in the California gold fields and not giving up even after a serious injury leaves her blind in one eye. When Charlotte grows up, she fulfills her dream of becoming a land owner and becomes the first woman to cast a vote in a presidential election, 52 years prior to women gaining the legal right to vote.
The characterization of Charlotte contributes to this book’s themes of determination and independence. Ryan’s novel encourages young readers to pursue their dreams, regardless of their gender or others’ expectations.
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