What do you think?
Rate this book
She Persisted: Deb Haaland
As a child of two military parents, Deb Haaland moved around a lot when she was young before finally settling in Albuquerque to be near family. But she persisted, studying hard and eventually earning a law degree. An enrolled member of the Pueblo Laguna nation, Deb was one of the first two Native American women to be elected to Congress, where she represented New Mexico's 1st District. In 2021, when the Senate confirmed her as President Biden's secretary of the interior, she became the first Native American in history to become a cabinet secretary. She continues to break barriers and inspire future generations to dream of greater opportunities.
92 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2023
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 16, 2023
Copy provided by the publisher
Born in 1960, Deb Haaland was raised by her mother, a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, and her father, a Norwegian American. Both were in the military, so the family, which included Deb's two sisters and brother, moved frequently. Her mother eventually worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs while her father fought in Vietnam, but they eventually ended up in Albquerque, New Mexico. Deb was able to spend time with her maternal grandmother, and learned how some relatives were sent to Indian boarding schools in the past. Deb hadn't planned on going to college, but eventually ended up going when she was 28 years old. It was not easy, especially with a baby daughter, but after graduation, she started her own company. This required a lot of traveling, so she eventually decided to attend law school, inspired by her mother's work and her own growing interest in politics. She helped with various campaigns, and in 2014, ran for the lieutenant governor of New Mexico. She did not win, but served as the democratic party chair for two years. In 2019, she and Sharice Davids became the first Native America women to be elected to Congress, and she continues to work hard for all of her constituents.
Strengths: Goodluck is a Native writer, and this series is very conscientious about having writers who share a cultural connection with their topics. This is aimed at readers from 6-9 years old, and has an age appropriate positive spin on events without neglecting to mention the challenges that Haaland faced. There's a good balance between the depiction of Haaland's personal and professional life. Goodluck also includes a list of how young readers can persist, as well as a bibliography.
Weaknesses: I don't normally buy biographies of people who are still alive and in the middle of their careers, since we can't know the direction their lives will take. Case in point: a 1984 biography of Michael Jackson the previous librarian at my school bought. I do understant the premise behind these books, but wish that they were take a more historical approach. Ada Deer was born in 1935, so she might be an option for future books.
What I really think: This is a great choice for fans of this series, or of the Penguin Random House Who Was books and helps fill gaps in the biography section, where it can be hard to find well done titles about Native figures.
Born in 1960, Deb Haaland was raised by her mother, a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, and her father, a Norwegian American. Both were in the military, so the family, which included Deb's two sisters and brother, moved frequently. Her mother eventually worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs while her father fought in Vietnam, but they eventually ended up in Albquerque, New Mexico. Deb was able to spend time with her maternal grandmother, and learned how some relatives were sent to Indian boarding schools in the past. Deb hadn't planned on going to college, but eventually ended up going when she was 28 years old. It was not easy, especially with a baby daughter, but after graduation, she started her own company. This required a lot of traveling, so she eventually decided to attend law school, inspired by her mother's work and her own growing interest in politics. She helped with various campaigns, and in 2014, ran for the lieutenant governor of New Mexico. She did not win, but served as the democratic party chair for two years. In 2019, she and Sharice Davids became the first Native America women to be elected to Congress, and she continues to work hard for all of her constituents.
Strengths: Goodluck is a Native writer, and this series is very conscientious about having writers who share a cultural connection with their topics. This is aimed at readers from 6-9 years old, and has an age appropriate positive spin on events without neglecting to mention the challenges that Haaland faced. There's a good balance between the depiction of Haaland's personal and professional life. Goodluck also includes a list of how young readers can persist, as well as a bibliography.
Weaknesses: I don't normally buy biographies of people who are still alive and in the middle of their careers, since we can't know the direction their lives will take. Case in point: a 1984 biography of Michael Jackson the previous librarian at my school bought. I do understant the premise behind these books, but wish that they were take a more historical approach. Ada Deer was born in 1935, so she might be an option for future books.
What I really think: This is a great choice for fans of this series, or of the Penguin Random House Who Was books and helps fill gaps in the biography section, where it can be hard to find well done titles about Native figures.
November 16, 2024
Great for people that need a quick review of Sec. Haaland’s life and career journey. I rented this to review her history as a Native American, which I did learn some additional things about where she came from.
November 2, 2023
This book was fantastic! One of the hardest things out there, in my opinion, is distilling complex information accessibly. This task increases exponentially in difficulty when the information needs to be conveyed to youth. Laurel Goodluck knocked it out of the park on this one. The scaffolding of Secretary Haaland's life experiences that build up to explaining her values in a lucid manner - dang!
from my notes:
- Ch 1. “Destined to Serve”
* Deb and her family writing letters! (illustration is so cute!)
* Laguna was always home ❤️🌽⛈️
- Ch. 2 “Home is where the Heart Is”
* definition of “sovereign” 💪🏽and dual citizenship
* “Homelands have a special place in people’s hearts and have a sacred pull that never lets go.”
* “baking bread, cooking beans and chiles, and preparing fresh vegetables” ❤️❤️
* “…every drop of water she carried was precious and should not be wasted.”
* helping grandpa in the garden - like me and TaTa in Isleta Pueblo!! an orchard too!
* “Deb’s grandfather also taught her the tradition of respecting the life of all animals.” - caring for the spirit of Deer ❤️❤️
* Deb’s great-grandfather at Carlisle in 1881 - reality of schools! 💪🏽 “The adults running the schools sometimes physically hurt the children too. Tragically, many children who attended those schools were treated so poorly that they died.”
* Deb’s grandparents met at SFIS! (Deb’s grandpa was from Jemez) her grandma spent 5 years at SFIS and her dad visited her 2x. “Deb’s grandma mostly spent her days cleaning and cooking, not learning. She ironed clothes and peeled potatoes.” reality again! 💪🏽
* boarding schools “…inspire her to be fierce later in life when she began to serve her country.”
* illustration of sharing abt boarding schools is evocative yet simple 💪🏽
- Ch. 3 “Laguna Feast Days”
* the late Mary Toya’s motto - “Don’t waste, and be careful with the things that keep us alive.”
* Importance of participation in Laguna ❤️❤️
* descriptions of tradish clothing ❤️
* “Deb’s family taught her the importance of preparing food and sharing it. It was not just that they wanted to feed hungry people, but that they understood that the nourishment of a person’s soul and heart is a way to share culture.” 🌽🫘🌶️
* Deb: “You can be Native wherever you are.” “This means that all Native people carry their cultures anywhere they may live. It was a message that Deb definitely took to heart throughout her life, wherever she went.”
* illustrations: Deb is putting on her *own* wraps!! 💪🏽💪🏽 love the feast day table ❤️
- Ch. 4 “Working Hard”
* did not go to college immediately after high school
* importance of learning from scholars outside of formal classes
* “Deb was a single mom by choice. She firmly believed that all women should have choices about how they live their lives.” ❤️❤️❤️
* Moving from her own struggles as a single working parent toward finding a way to effect social responsibility 💪🏽
* honoring the Lakota Nation’s work in expanding electoral power for Natives and all South Dakotans! 💪🏽
- Ch. 5 “Warming up her voice”
* chapter title!! is so good! 💪🏽 ❤️ 💪🏽 ❤️
* “Failure” as a warm up 💪🏽 love this concept
* bar exam: “She failed by a few points, but that did not keep Deb from finding her path to public service.” 💪🏽
* “Some Native people don’t trust the government because of how unfairly Native people have been and are often still treated.” - lucid, simple, age-appropriate!
* “…food helped bring people together.”
* Miguel Trujillo - discussion of how one individual Pueblo person fomented lasting social change, without heavy-handed moralizing - yes!
* ran and lost! and still found success! working with responsibility for community
* NoDAPL as a key piece Deb’s political origin story ❤️❤️
- Ch. 6 “I’ll be fierce for all of us”
* “I will leave a ladder behind me so girls of color know they can be anything they want to be.” 🥰 evocative in the ways this metaphor speaks to everyone while simultaneously calling forth Pueblo lifeways and homes ❤️❤️
* beautiful description of Deb’s clothing at her swearing-in! illustration of swearing-in w ribbon skirt (corn!!), Zia necklace, wraps. Somáh. Kamala Harris.
* illustration: masks show the importance of responsibility to community care
* clear explanation of the importance in community decision-making
* brief and accessible explanations of concepts like “bipartisan” “cabinet”
* honoring of her auntie, Ann (love the use of “auntie” over aunt!)
* Excellent historical context while illustrating how community involvement leads to concrete social change! 💪🏽 “When it was first created, the Department of the Interior had cruel policies that hurt Native people and took their land. Today, the Department of the Interior protects public lands, increase environmental protections, and works to strengthen its nation-to-nation relationship with Native tribes.”
* interesting mention of the Bible… deliberately mentioned to signal something?
* “Growing up in my mother’s Pueblo household made me fierce. I’ll be fierce for all of us, our planet, and all our protected land. I am honored and ready to serve.” 💪🏽💪🏽
* immediately beginning to work as a land defender in her new role!
* ❤️💪🏽 “Deb listened…” ❤️💪🏽
* re: boarding school commission- “To become a better nation, it is important to admit these painful truths and understand the hurt caused to Native families over generations and centuries.” 💪🏽
* no mention of who caused the hurt… very adept rhetoric! any relation to current trends attacking the freedom to read?
* illustration: symbolism of Deb in her manta and squash blossom necklace - how did this illustration come to be set in Monument Valley and not Chaco? deliberately done to show solidarity and work for all peoples? Or illustrator not as familiar w specificities of landscape?
* “Deb thanks the generations of ancestors who came before her and who sacrificed so much so that she can be here today to act on behalf of all of us.” ❤️💪🏽
* beautiful final paragraph acknowledging ancestors, the strength given by remembering homelands
- “How you can persist” (Laurel Goodluck)
* starting by seeking ancestral story from family. YES!
* actually explaining how to respectfully listen in a conversation! -so critical for young people! adults are often vague about what things really look like
* encouragement to learn national history
* family and community lifeways - languages!
* “These cultural traditions can give you strength and pride and help you know who you are.”
* serving one’s own community!
* going with a parent to vote
* Point Seven - YES!! “Don’t let fear of not understanding another person or idea stop you from being open to the beauty of diverse experiences and perspectives.”
* exploring new ideas and people via books!!! YES!
* specific ways to be a good steward of your environment
* Beautiful ending of ideas
* My only criticism of this section is that I wish this section had included a more overt discussion of the fact that Deb’s “failures” helped her learn and grow
from my notes:
- Ch 1. “Destined to Serve”
* Deb and her family writing letters! (illustration is so cute!)
* Laguna was always home ❤️🌽⛈️
- Ch. 2 “Home is where the Heart Is”
* definition of “sovereign” 💪🏽and dual citizenship
* “Homelands have a special place in people’s hearts and have a sacred pull that never lets go.”
* “baking bread, cooking beans and chiles, and preparing fresh vegetables” ❤️❤️
* “…every drop of water she carried was precious and should not be wasted.”
* helping grandpa in the garden - like me and TaTa in Isleta Pueblo!! an orchard too!
* “Deb’s grandfather also taught her the tradition of respecting the life of all animals.” - caring for the spirit of Deer ❤️❤️
* Deb’s great-grandfather at Carlisle in 1881 - reality of schools! 💪🏽 “The adults running the schools sometimes physically hurt the children too. Tragically, many children who attended those schools were treated so poorly that they died.”
* Deb’s grandparents met at SFIS! (Deb’s grandpa was from Jemez) her grandma spent 5 years at SFIS and her dad visited her 2x. “Deb’s grandma mostly spent her days cleaning and cooking, not learning. She ironed clothes and peeled potatoes.” reality again! 💪🏽
* boarding schools “…inspire her to be fierce later in life when she began to serve her country.”
* illustration of sharing abt boarding schools is evocative yet simple 💪🏽
- Ch. 3 “Laguna Feast Days”
* the late Mary Toya’s motto - “Don’t waste, and be careful with the things that keep us alive.”
* Importance of participation in Laguna ❤️❤️
* descriptions of tradish clothing ❤️
* “Deb’s family taught her the importance of preparing food and sharing it. It was not just that they wanted to feed hungry people, but that they understood that the nourishment of a person’s soul and heart is a way to share culture.” 🌽🫘🌶️
* Deb: “You can be Native wherever you are.” “This means that all Native people carry their cultures anywhere they may live. It was a message that Deb definitely took to heart throughout her life, wherever she went.”
* illustrations: Deb is putting on her *own* wraps!! 💪🏽💪🏽 love the feast day table ❤️
- Ch. 4 “Working Hard”
* did not go to college immediately after high school
* importance of learning from scholars outside of formal classes
* “Deb was a single mom by choice. She firmly believed that all women should have choices about how they live their lives.” ❤️❤️❤️
* Moving from her own struggles as a single working parent toward finding a way to effect social responsibility 💪🏽
* honoring the Lakota Nation’s work in expanding electoral power for Natives and all South Dakotans! 💪🏽
- Ch. 5 “Warming up her voice”
* chapter title!! is so good! 💪🏽 ❤️ 💪🏽 ❤️
* “Failure” as a warm up 💪🏽 love this concept
* bar exam: “She failed by a few points, but that did not keep Deb from finding her path to public service.” 💪🏽
* “Some Native people don’t trust the government because of how unfairly Native people have been and are often still treated.” - lucid, simple, age-appropriate!
* “…food helped bring people together.”
* Miguel Trujillo - discussion of how one individual Pueblo person fomented lasting social change, without heavy-handed moralizing - yes!
* ran and lost! and still found success! working with responsibility for community
* NoDAPL as a key piece Deb’s political origin story ❤️❤️
- Ch. 6 “I’ll be fierce for all of us”
* “I will leave a ladder behind me so girls of color know they can be anything they want to be.” 🥰 evocative in the ways this metaphor speaks to everyone while simultaneously calling forth Pueblo lifeways and homes ❤️❤️
* beautiful description of Deb’s clothing at her swearing-in! illustration of swearing-in w ribbon skirt (corn!!), Zia necklace, wraps. Somáh. Kamala Harris.
* illustration: masks show the importance of responsibility to community care
* clear explanation of the importance in community decision-making
* brief and accessible explanations of concepts like “bipartisan” “cabinet”
* honoring of her auntie, Ann (love the use of “auntie” over aunt!)
* Excellent historical context while illustrating how community involvement leads to concrete social change! 💪🏽 “When it was first created, the Department of the Interior had cruel policies that hurt Native people and took their land. Today, the Department of the Interior protects public lands, increase environmental protections, and works to strengthen its nation-to-nation relationship with Native tribes.”
* interesting mention of the Bible… deliberately mentioned to signal something?
* “Growing up in my mother’s Pueblo household made me fierce. I’ll be fierce for all of us, our planet, and all our protected land. I am honored and ready to serve.” 💪🏽💪🏽
* immediately beginning to work as a land defender in her new role!
* ❤️💪🏽 “Deb listened…” ❤️💪🏽
* re: boarding school commission- “To become a better nation, it is important to admit these painful truths and understand the hurt caused to Native families over generations and centuries.” 💪🏽
* no mention of who caused the hurt… very adept rhetoric! any relation to current trends attacking the freedom to read?
* illustration: symbolism of Deb in her manta and squash blossom necklace - how did this illustration come to be set in Monument Valley and not Chaco? deliberately done to show solidarity and work for all peoples? Or illustrator not as familiar w specificities of landscape?
* “Deb thanks the generations of ancestors who came before her and who sacrificed so much so that she can be here today to act on behalf of all of us.” ❤️💪🏽
* beautiful final paragraph acknowledging ancestors, the strength given by remembering homelands
- “How you can persist” (Laurel Goodluck)
* starting by seeking ancestral story from family. YES!
* actually explaining how to respectfully listen in a conversation! -so critical for young people! adults are often vague about what things really look like
* encouragement to learn national history
* family and community lifeways - languages!
* “These cultural traditions can give you strength and pride and help you know who you are.”
* serving one’s own community!
* going with a parent to vote
* Point Seven - YES!! “Don’t let fear of not understanding another person or idea stop you from being open to the beauty of diverse experiences and perspectives.”
* exploring new ideas and people via books!!! YES!
* specific ways to be a good steward of your environment
* Beautiful ending of ideas
* My only criticism of this section is that I wish this section had included a more overt discussion of the fact that Deb’s “failures” helped her learn and grow
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2023
Great look into Haalands life. I learned some things I didn't know before.
Look forward to buying this one for my library.
Narration by Isabella Lablanc was very well done!
4 stars
I received this book from the publisher PRHAudio for a fair and honest review.
Look forward to buying this one for my library.
Narration by Isabella Lablanc was very well done!
4 stars
I received this book from the publisher PRHAudio for a fair and honest review.
August 26, 2023
I received an electronic ARC from Philomel Books through Edelweiss+.
Goodluck adds this volume to the She Persisted series. Readers learn how Haaland overcame obstacles and found her own voice. She was well loved by family and nurtured to become whoever she wanted to be. There were definite struggles as she grew up and during her career but she persevered and became the US Secretary of the Interior. Her pride in her heritage shines through Goodluck's words.
I appreciate the focus on determination and grit. I also love the portion at the end when readers are challenged to use their voices too.
Goodluck adds this volume to the She Persisted series. Readers learn how Haaland overcame obstacles and found her own voice. She was well loved by family and nurtured to become whoever she wanted to be. There were definite struggles as she grew up and during her career but she persevered and became the US Secretary of the Interior. Her pride in her heritage shines through Goodluck's words.
I appreciate the focus on determination and grit. I also love the portion at the end when readers are challenged to use their voices too.
November 26, 2023
4 stars (I really liked it)
This is one of my favorite She Persisted novels! Goodluck did a great job presenting the information in a way that was easy to understand, informative but not dry, and inspiring. She did not shy away from mentioning the terrible treatment of Nation people in our history. It was fascinating the learn so much about Haaland and I am sure she will inspire others.
I wish the pictures were in color. The descriptions of the outfits and scenery were so vivid and I would have really liked to see that reflected in the illustrations.
This is one of my favorite She Persisted novels! Goodluck did a great job presenting the information in a way that was easy to understand, informative but not dry, and inspiring. She did not shy away from mentioning the terrible treatment of Nation people in our history. It was fascinating the learn so much about Haaland and I am sure she will inspire others.
I wish the pictures were in color. The descriptions of the outfits and scenery were so vivid and I would have really liked to see that reflected in the illustrations.
January 10, 2025
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 Deb Haaland, is well written and made me want to learn more, which is exactly what these introductory stories should be. Sadly, many of the women featured in this series are not written about anywhere else in an accessible way for children, making these books all that more important.
November 2, 2026
Nice short biography of Deb Haaland, the first Native person to be cabinet secretary. She had military parents and changed homes and schools a lot. Her culture is very important to her and she used that solid family basis for her work to protect lands in our country as National Park land. She was a great leader due to her Native background teaching her to listen to all voices. I really liked this biography. The series focuses on women in exceptional careers, their early life, how they got their career, and what they accomplished. There is enough information for reports, but no timeline.
June 7, 2024
I love these short, accessible biographies -- I love that they center diverse voices, I love that they feature diverse authors, and I love that they celebrate excellence. This particular book doesn't flow quite as well as some of the other books in the series, but I love how Goodluck's message centers Tribal culture throughout the book -- the importance of food traditions, of talking with people face to face, and of considering many viewpoints in order to build a stronger community.
December 12, 2025
I really enjoyed learning more about Deb Haaland, and I think that this was well-done, especially because it touched upon colonialism, boarding schools, poverty, and single motherhood, among other things, in an age-appropriate way.
It's ridiculous that no Native American women were elected to the US Congress until 2019.
It's ridiculous that no Native American women were elected to the US Congress until 2019.
October 4, 2023
This is such an informative chapter book that every child in the US needs to read.
November 7, 2023
Good background on female role models. Learned some interesting things.
November 29, 2023
I just came across this book series! Loved this one!
November 29, 2023
From military brat to first Native American to become a cabinet secretary.
November 29, 2023
This was insightful and informative... could, also, serve as a beacon of hope for those in underserved communities that are looking to better themselves.
December 14, 2023
This is a unique series of books. I like that I don’t have to completely agree with someone in order to appreciate them, their experiences and background, and their examples of hard work.
February 29, 2024
I'm giving this four stars for the representation, but it didn't flow as a story for me. Just felt like I was reading fact after fact.
June 19, 2024
YMA 2024 American Indian Award Middle grade honor
January 3, 2026
Poorly written, this does succeed at telling part of the story, but fails to give an elementary understanding of what has been accomplished.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews