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She Persisted
She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller
The descendant of Cherokee ancestors who had been forced to walk the Trail of Tears, Wilma Mankiller experienced her own forced removal from the land she grew up on as a child. As she got older and learned more about the injustices her people had faced, she dedicated her life to instilling pride in Native heritage and reclaiming Native rights. She went on to become the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
80 pages, Paperback
Published October 4, 2022
6 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Traci Sorell
25 books139 followersBest-selling author and Cherokee Nation citizen Traci Sorell writes inclusive, award-winning fiction and nonfiction in a variety of formats for young people. In 2023, she shares Contenders: Two Native Baseball Players, One World Series, a Kirkus Reviews starred nonfiction picture book biography illustrated by Arigon Starr, and Mascot, a middle grade fiction novel-in-verse co-authored with Charles Waters. Traci is a two-time Sibert Medal and Orbis Pictus honoree for her nonfiction work. Her first five books have received awards from the American Indian Library Association. Learn more at www.tracisorell.com.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 3, 2023
The biography of the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation has joined the titles in the She Persisted series. Author Traci Sorell traces Chief Mankiller's life from her birth in Oklahoma through her family's move to California, then her return to Mankiller Flats and her work with the tribe. Readers will learn how the family lived in Oklahoma and contrast that with the conditions in San Francisco. It may encourage children to read that someone who would grow up to lead her nation at one point lost interest in school and even ran away from home. They may also be inspired by her persistence in overcoming obstacles such as a serious car accident and several health problems.
It is also clear that her own experiences growing up with no electricity or running water made her aware of conditions that could be improved with help from the Cherokee Nation Community Development Department. Her work there and as deputy chief, then principal chief, gave her opportunities to help the people and "the hardships they faced." Besides personal details of Wilma's life, the history of how the Cherokee came to be living in Oklahoma is explained, as well as the later Indian Relocation Act of 1956, the occupation of Alcatraz Island in 1969, and other significant events.
As in the other books of the series, there is a list of suggestions on how readers show persistence in their own lives. A list of acknowledgments and references appear in the back matter, as well as an explanation of the seven-pointed star on the book's cover and a discussion of the various terms used "to describe the peoples how originally lived on this land and continue to do so." I especially appreciate that the book was written by an author who is also a member of the Cherokee Nation and has a personal connection to its history. Readers may also enjoy the Cherokee headings for each chapter.
It is also clear that her own experiences growing up with no electricity or running water made her aware of conditions that could be improved with help from the Cherokee Nation Community Development Department. Her work there and as deputy chief, then principal chief, gave her opportunities to help the people and "the hardships they faced." Besides personal details of Wilma's life, the history of how the Cherokee came to be living in Oklahoma is explained, as well as the later Indian Relocation Act of 1956, the occupation of Alcatraz Island in 1969, and other significant events.
As in the other books of the series, there is a list of suggestions on how readers show persistence in their own lives. A list of acknowledgments and references appear in the back matter, as well as an explanation of the seven-pointed star on the book's cover and a discussion of the various terms used "to describe the peoples how originally lived on this land and continue to do so." I especially appreciate that the book was written by an author who is also a member of the Cherokee Nation and has a personal connection to its history. Readers may also enjoy the Cherokee headings for each chapter.
November 11, 2022
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What a phenomenal read. Whether familiar with Mankiller's work or not, this is a great starting point for young readers to learn more about her activism within the Cherokee Nation and beyond. Loved the emphasis on hard work, helping others, and persisting in following your dreams and achieving your goals.
Even in its small package, this short biography packs in so much information. It includes information about Mankiller's early life, her activism, obstacles she overcame, and her impact. It also touches on difficult themes such as poverty, physical illness, divorce, and gender bias.
Traci Sorell was the perfect author to tell Mankiller's story and she does so absolutely wonderfully.
At the end of the book, Sorell lists ways the reader can persist like Wilma Mankiller such as continuing to learn about Native Nations, helping in your community, and creating stories.
This is the first I've read in the She Persisted chapter books and I'm already hooked. Looking forward to picking up another one soon.
What a phenomenal read. Whether familiar with Mankiller's work or not, this is a great starting point for young readers to learn more about her activism within the Cherokee Nation and beyond. Loved the emphasis on hard work, helping others, and persisting in following your dreams and achieving your goals.
Even in its small package, this short biography packs in so much information. It includes information about Mankiller's early life, her activism, obstacles she overcame, and her impact. It also touches on difficult themes such as poverty, physical illness, divorce, and gender bias.
Traci Sorell was the perfect author to tell Mankiller's story and she does so absolutely wonderfully.
At the end of the book, Sorell lists ways the reader can persist like Wilma Mankiller such as continuing to learn about Native Nations, helping in your community, and creating stories.
This is the first I've read in the She Persisted chapter books and I'm already hooked. Looking forward to picking up another one soon.
January 27, 2023
This accessible series for a younger age celebrating impactful women, this one about the Indigenous Wilma Mankiller details her poverty growing up with a large family with a white mother and Cherokee father. The explanations about owning versus using land, government overreach, and the discrimination against Indigenous people makes it easy to understand for this audience. Mankiller had to overcome all of this but became a popular figure within her family and then community. It was really her health issues that prevented her from keeping up with the work she was doing but her impact is far-reaching nonetheless.
A woman I knew in name only, I have more understanding of. A person to be celebrated!
A woman I knew in name only, I have more understanding of. A person to be celebrated!
December 28, 2022
The She Persisted mini chapter book biography series are perfect for elementary and intermediate age students interested in learning about the featured person for an assignment or just for an informative read about important women in history. This edition about Wilma Mankiller is not the most engaging of the series, though I still gave it 4 stars because of the lack of material available on Wilma Mankiller. Some authors have a way of describing people in a way that you walk away feeling like you know THEM better, not just what they are important for; this was the informative kind. A must have series for any elementary school or classroom.
August 14, 2023
3 stars (I liked it)
I have never heard of Wilma Mankiller before reading this book. It was interesting and inspiring, although Sorell's writing style felt somewhat stilted to me. It seemed like many of the sentences were choppy and just had a different feel than many of the other books in the series. I've previously read picture books that Sorell has written and didn't notice the choppy sentences so not sure if this is always her writing style in longer books or what.
I have never heard of Wilma Mankiller before reading this book. It was interesting and inspiring, although Sorell's writing style felt somewhat stilted to me. It seemed like many of the sentences were choppy and just had a different feel than many of the other books in the series. I've previously read picture books that Sorell has written and didn't notice the choppy sentences so not sure if this is always her writing style in longer books or what.
May 9, 2023
Great early chapter biography of Wilma Mankiller. I'm a big fan of this series -- both because it highlights extraordinary women, and because the authors are from the same heritage. Great information, well written, inspiring.
November 22, 2023
Keep persisting!
Just a huge thanks for Traci Sorell for taking this on, and to the Clinton foundation for the entire series. Love reading and learning about women in this way. Fabulous book, wonderful person to learn more about.
Just a huge thanks for Traci Sorell for taking this on, and to the Clinton foundation for the entire series. Love reading and learning about women in this way. Fabulous book, wonderful person to learn more about.
December 4, 2022
40min audio book
February 2, 2023
Love this series!
February 12, 2023
simple yet interesting
February 13, 2023
An excellent read to learn of a contemporary Cherokee woman. Well wrtten and a broad review of her life!
May 1, 2023
So well- written
September 11, 2023
Very inspiring woman!
June 19, 2024
YMA 2024 American Indian Youth Literature Award Middle Grade honor
November 18, 2024
Children's
Nonfiction
Biography
The first woman chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Nonfiction
Biography
The first woman chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Read
September 9, 2025This was a good read about a public figure that I didn't really know much about. it was very interesting learning about Chief Mankiller.
November 15, 2022
I've been enjoying the She Persisted series of chapter books, along with my older son. I had never heard of Wilma Mankiller before, so all of the information was new to me. She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller covered her early life of living on a reservation up to her dedication of championing the rights of Native Americans. She became the first female Chief of the Cherokee nation, which is quite an accomplishment, especially given all of the obstacles she had to overcome. The "She Persisted" message of following your dreams to achieve your goals is evident here, but I didn't think this chapter book was as strongly written as some of the others in the series. I found the many run on sentences and the overuse of exclamation points for emphasis to be slightly distracting, but still very much worth reading to learn about Wilma Mankiller and her accomplishments.
July 26, 2023
Important subject treated cursorily and antiseptically.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews