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The Ride: The Legend of Betsy Dowdy
One brave girl, one strong pony, one desperate ride to deliver a crucial message that would change the course of American history. Betsy is the girl power answer to Paul Revere. Repeated for over two hundred years as an oral tradition, the legend of Betsy Dowdy is a classic American tale of a girl who simply believed she could be free. Inspired by the danger and daring of...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
August 31st 2010
by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
(first published 2010)
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Looking for stories with girl power to share with your class or children? Look no further than The Ride: The Legend of Betsy Dowdy, a picture book about a heroine of the American Revolution published earlier this year.
While no proof of the truth of Betsy Dowdy's tale exists, the story of her 51-mile wild ride has been told for more than two centuries in North Carolina.
The story of 16-year old Betsy's ride through the freezing December weather on her sturdy pony Bess to warn General Skinner and h...more
While no proof of the truth of Betsy Dowdy's tale exists, the story of her 51-mile wild ride has been told for more than two centuries in North Carolina.
The story of 16-year old Betsy's ride through the freezing December weather on her sturdy pony Bess to warn General Skinner and h...more
Reviewed and starred by Booklist, Publisher's Weekly, and Kirkus, this book tells a tale that takes readers back to the Revolutionary War times. Betsy is an average girl living in the colonies, when suddenly the conflict with Britain arises. Other minor characters appear, like soldiers, that prompts Betsy in wanting to help in any way she can. Her actions are deemed as courageous as she sets out to warn the rest of the town of Britain's strategic move against the colonists. Sound familiar?
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this one caught my eye in the new books, I think because I'm drawn to Marjorie Priceman's illustrations. I'd never heard of this legend: a young girl, Betsy Dowdy, rides her pony to summon the army to help fight off the British in North Carolina during the Revolution. Love the illustration of her when she arrives at the General Skinner's camp...she looks so completely bedraggled, it makes me laugh! Priceman does the quirkiest facial expressions in her drawings...she's the one who did the book, H...more
I thought this was a great non-fiction picture book!
The legend of Betsy Dowdy will pull you in and you'll want to see her succeed!
The illustrations are great, and, at times, the words fly fast across the page just like Betsy and her horse!
I like that there's some great repetition about why she's riding,
and how this is the ONLY way she can really help, so it means a lot to her.
I can see this book bringing up good discussions about freedom and how people can do what they can do to help.
A fun book!
The legend of Betsy Dowdy will pull you in and you'll want to see her succeed!
The illustrations are great, and, at times, the words fly fast across the page just like Betsy and her horse!
I like that there's some great repetition about why she's riding,
and how this is the ONLY way she can really help, so it means a lot to her.
I can see this book bringing up good discussions about freedom and how people can do what they can do to help.
A fun book!
The story of Betsy Dowdy has been part of an oral tradition for over 200 years. While she may not have existed, this is a wonderful American story of bravery and determination. Betsy was 16 years old in 1775 when the news came of the redcoats marching to Great Bridge to take ponies and supplies. There was no hope that anyone could make it to General Skinner’s militia fifty miles away in time to bring aid. But Betsy could not help in other ways. She couldn’t fight. But she could ride. So despite...more
A fascinating book based on the legend of Betsy Dowdy. The story presents the historical background of the events of December 1775 on Currituck, North Carolina. Betsy, a real "pepper pot," rides her horse Bess through the night to bring the critical news to General Skinner that the redcoats are marching to the Great Bridge.
I'm not usually into children's books about prominent people in history, but I really liked this one. It's a legend so it's not 100% confirmed, but it's very well-told. I found myself being interested in her as a character rather than just wondering how it would end. The illustrations match the tone and feel of the legend.
Although there is no hard proof that Betsy Dowdy saved the day in 1975, legend does have it that this 16-yr-old girl acted as a patriot in the fashion of Paul Revere by racing to North Carolina troops to alert them that the British were planning an attack on Curituck Sound. (JP that could be a JFIC or in the 398 legends area)
No way of knowing for sure if Betsy Dowd and her ride was real, but this is a great story about a heroic girl and her contribution to the war for independence. Wonderful illustrations!
E Griffin
Priceman's picture are bright and distinctive. The heroine is a Paul Revere type character of whom another character says "You're a pepper pot, Betsy Dowdy."
Priceman's picture are bright and distinctive. The heroine is a Paul Revere type character of whom another character says "You're a pepper pot, Betsy Dowdy."
Great Picture books for older kids. I'd never heard this legend before and it would be fun to pair it with Longfellow's poem Paul Revere's ride.
Oral tradition tells of a NC girl who rode to warn of the Redcoats coming in the style of Paul Revere. This story weaves those tales into a wonderful legend to share with grades 1-5 on an American Revolutionary heroine. Kids will enjoy this one.
A fun American-Revolution story I didn't know.
I think students will enjoy this legend.
Apr 20, 2013
Alicia
marked it as to-read
Mar 06, 2013
Lauren
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Mar 02, 2013
Robin Angelides
marked it as to-read
Dec 28, 2012
Maria
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Dec 18, 2012
Andd Becker
marked it as to-read
Nov 04, 2012
Eric Nguyen
marked it as to-read
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