A fictionalized account of the true story of Charlotte Parkhurst, opening with the death of her parents when she was two years old, and covering, subsequently, her life in an orphanage, her decision to run away dressed as a boy, and her career as a stagecoach driver. The tale ends with the fulfillment of her dream to own a ranch. Along the way, and always disguised as a man, she loses the use of an eye, votes in an election (thereby becoming the first woman to do so), and gains renown as a safe and expert driver. Ryan (Armadillos Sleep in Dugouts, p. 1537, etc.) provides the facts of Parkhurst's life in an author's note that also indicates places where she took creative license. The story flows along effortlessly; the details of the stagecoach driver's life and skills are fascinating. Without exaggerating, Selznick's black-and-white drawings convey a character who could easily pass as a woman or a man, further enhancing this credible and entertaining depiction of an interesting and little-known person. (Fiction. 8-12)
