Did you know that the Outer Banks has its own Paul Revere? In 1775, Betsy Dowdy of Currituck, North Carolina, rode fifty miles one cold December night to warn patriots of an impending British invasion at Great Bridge (yep, that Great Bridge). Not only was Betsy's ride several times the length of Mr. Revere's but she was only in her teens when she made it!
Anouk recently got a Felicity doll and has been super interested in Revolutionary war culture, so when I saw The Ride I snapped it up thinking at least it would offer some fun historical flavor. But it is even more than that. I love how The Ride points out that even things that seem small can be of great importance. As Betsy tells herself over and over, all she has to do is ride, but as she stumbles and falls and tackles cold and fear you realize that it isn't so simple after all. The contributions of women -- especially young women -- are missing a lot of the time especailly from Revolutionary history (a fact Anouk laments every time we listen to Hamilton), so it's nice to see Betsy take center stage.
Kitty Griffin's writing is a pleasure to read. As the story picks up the words begin to gallop over the page like Betsy's horse, Bess. The swirling Starry-Night-esque illustrations by Marjorie Priceman give a sense of urgency. Will Betsy make it by morning? Of course she does, and you know she will, but you still breathe a sigh of relief when she finally arrives.
No one really knows whether or not Betsy's ride happened like it does in the book or who Betsy herself really was, but her story is no less inspiring for lack of detail! To read more about Betsy Dowdy and what her ride might have been like, click here. And to buy a copy of The Ride, click here. The Kindle version is only $2.99 and the audio version is even less!
