What do you think?
Rate this book
She Persisted: Rachel Levine
Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger comes a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Rachel Levine!
As the first openly transgender government official to hold an office that requires Senate confirmation, the first openly transgender four-star officer in uniform service, and the first female four-star admiral in the commissioned corps, Rachel Levine faced many obstacles throughout her life. But she persisted through them all and showed kids of all genders that they can succeed in their dreams too.
In this chapter book biography by critically acclaimed author Lisa Bunker, readers learn about the amazing life of Rachel Levine--and how she persisted .
Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Rachel Levine's footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum.
And don’t miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Sonia Sotomayor, Margaret Chase Smith, Patsy Mink, and more!
As the first openly transgender government official to hold an office that requires Senate confirmation, the first openly transgender four-star officer in uniform service, and the first female four-star admiral in the commissioned corps, Rachel Levine faced many obstacles throughout her life. But she persisted through them all and showed kids of all genders that they can succeed in their dreams too.
In this chapter book biography by critically acclaimed author Lisa Bunker, readers learn about the amazing life of Rachel Levine--and how she persisted .
Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Rachel Levine's footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum.
And don’t miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Sonia Sotomayor, Margaret Chase Smith, Patsy Mink, and more!
- GenresNonfiction
96 pages, Hardcover
Published June 6, 2023
39 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Bunker
7 books84 followersLisa Bunker has written stories all her life. Before setting up shop as a full-time author she had a 30-year career in non-commercial broadcasting, most recently as Program Director of the community radio station in Portland, Maine. Besides Maine she has made homes in New Mexico, the LA area, Seattle, the Florida panhandle, and New Hampshire. She now lives in Sacramento, CA with her wife Dawn, an expert on anxiety in children and an author in her own right. Between them they have three grown children. From 2018 to 2022 Lisa represented the town of Exeter in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Her other active interests include chess, birding, choral singing, and playing the bass.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 4, 2025
You’ve gotta be kidding me. What a slap in the face to actual women.
April 30, 2023
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
Born in 1957, Rachel Levine faced a number of challenges. She was often bullied because her family was Jewish and both of her parents worked. She also realized early on that she wasn't comfortable with her gender assigned at birth. but at the time, there was little knowledge about transgender people available. She was a good student, and went to Harvard University to major in medicine. In addition to practicing medicine, she also taught, and worked in adolescent medicine and worked with people who had eating disorders. In 2018, she became the Secretary of Health for Pennsylvania and worked to help the state deal with the opioid epidemic as well as maternal health and vaccinations for children.
Chelsea Clinton's She Persisted series has short, easy to read biographies of a wide variety of women, such as Wilma Mankiller, Kalpana Chawla, Temple Grandin, and Simone Biles. They give a good overview of the person's life, and put it into the context of history and society. There is brief, easy to understand information about Levine's transgender journey and how she was treated. Author Lisa Bunker is one of New Hampshire's first transgender state legislators as well as the author of middle grade fiction such as Felix XYZ, Zenobia July, and the upcoming Joy, To the World written with Kai Shappley.
It's not easy to find books about people whose careers involved medicine or science, and I wish there were more books for young readers that explored STEM topics involving public health. Brown's A Shot in the Arm is one of the few titles I've seen, and I'm looking forward to Montillo's upcoming The First Women of Medicine. Fans of the She Persisted will want to read this newest installment.
Born in 1957, Rachel Levine faced a number of challenges. She was often bullied because her family was Jewish and both of her parents worked. She also realized early on that she wasn't comfortable with her gender assigned at birth. but at the time, there was little knowledge about transgender people available. She was a good student, and went to Harvard University to major in medicine. In addition to practicing medicine, she also taught, and worked in adolescent medicine and worked with people who had eating disorders. In 2018, she became the Secretary of Health for Pennsylvania and worked to help the state deal with the opioid epidemic as well as maternal health and vaccinations for children.
Chelsea Clinton's She Persisted series has short, easy to read biographies of a wide variety of women, such as Wilma Mankiller, Kalpana Chawla, Temple Grandin, and Simone Biles. They give a good overview of the person's life, and put it into the context of history and society. There is brief, easy to understand information about Levine's transgender journey and how she was treated. Author Lisa Bunker is one of New Hampshire's first transgender state legislators as well as the author of middle grade fiction such as Felix XYZ, Zenobia July, and the upcoming Joy, To the World written with Kai Shappley.
It's not easy to find books about people whose careers involved medicine or science, and I wish there were more books for young readers that explored STEM topics involving public health. Brown's A Shot in the Arm is one of the few titles I've seen, and I'm looking forward to Montillo's upcoming The First Women of Medicine. Fans of the She Persisted will want to read this newest installment.
January 22, 2026
Chelsea Clinton adds another title to her She Persisted series, this time focusing on Rachel Levine, a transgender figure in the healthcare world. Clinton’s writing style remains simple and accessible, which works well for younger readers, and the series itself is an innovative concept.
However, the execution here feels unbalanced. Instead of highlighting Levine’s professional achievements and contributions to healthcare, the narrative leans heavily on her identity as a transgender woman. This emphasis makes the book feel more agenda-driven than genuinely inspirational, as if the identity itself is the main accomplishment rather than the work behind it.
Clinton’s courage in tackling a sensitive subject is worth noting, but the choice of focus weakens the impact compared to other She Persisted titles that spotlight clear struggles and achievements. The result is a book that feels less compelling and more forced in its message.
Rating: 3/5 – bold idea, but lacking focus and depth.
However, the execution here feels unbalanced. Instead of highlighting Levine’s professional achievements and contributions to healthcare, the narrative leans heavily on her identity as a transgender woman. This emphasis makes the book feel more agenda-driven than genuinely inspirational, as if the identity itself is the main accomplishment rather than the work behind it.
Clinton’s courage in tackling a sensitive subject is worth noting, but the choice of focus weakens the impact compared to other She Persisted titles that spotlight clear struggles and achievements. The result is a book that feels less compelling and more forced in its message.
Rating: 3/5 – bold idea, but lacking focus and depth.
November 16, 2023
I happened to find this book while browsing the library. When I read the synopsis, I knew I wanted to read the whole series of She Persisted books about women who were not going to be stopped from their ambitions. Rachel Levine was the first transgender woman to be appointed as the U.S. Assistant Secretary in 2021. Getting there took a lot of guts and courage, but she never gave up. This is a quick read, but very informative. I am heading to the library today to pick a few more of these up. Highly recommend for young people and adults!
February 19, 2024
Ella estudió medicina y sirvió a la nación como prganizadora de la salud luchó mucho para acedar a sus puestos ella es la primera mujer transgénero en ocupar un cargo que el senado confirma como secretaria de salud
Read
December 1, 2024I'm hoping to write biographies for kids myself, and I checked this one out from the library in part for learning/research purposes, and in part in keeping with my current #JewishBookMonth reading. (The book includes one brief reference to Levine's Jewishness.)
March 6, 2024
Excellent addition to the series!
September 8, 2025
These books are a great way to do a deeper dive on someone you know little about without having to invest a lot of time. Educational!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews