Deb Haaland

A very quick and informative biography of Deb Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary. This biography highlights her life as the first person in her family to graduate with a college degree and how her relationship with her Native grandparents ignited her love of the environment and cultural aspects of her Indigenous heritage, all of which shaped her policies in politics.

Thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

My love for the Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland runs deep. She means so much to so many of us. I am of native ancestry and when President Biden nominated her as Secretary of the Interior and she was confirmed it was a joyful day and since.

I think this book does her life justice for the age range that it is written for which I can imagine though will be a wide audience. It is so well done! The colors, the format, the writing does her incredible life thus far justice. The book begins with of course a fantastic cover that captures the joy that Secretary Haaland exudes. She has quiet, gentle grace and her background affords her the gift of powerful empathy. This book captures that quality. The book is written in seven chapters of her life but begins with her swearing-in and wearing the traditional ceremonial ribbon skirt. From there it tells the journey of her life how she has worked so hard her whole life and the perseverance it has taken for her to get where she is today. Secretary Haaland is from a military family which might surprise a lot of people. She is the first person in her family to go to college. Four days after graduating from college she gave birth and as a single mother she knows real struggle and she had to persevere. The book captures her heritage, her well rounded understanding of the work she has accomplished and the work she is getting done. Although this book is brief many quite likely will learn much about Debra Haaland in its book.

The book is structured so well that you won't want to put it done and just fly through it. It is brief but for the age range that it is written for middle school age range. The book is made by Lerner publishing of the Gateway Biography series.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Lerner Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

This bio about Deb Haaland was super insightful and brought light to many issues not just related to her, but to Native Americans. We need more biographies on people like Deb. The text was informative and shed light on Native American boarding schools of the past, which I didn't learn about until university. I think this would be a great addition to any school library.

This informative biography of Deb Haaland, the first Native American Cabinet Secretary, emphasizes her efforts to serve her community, improve environmental and social conditions, and work hard to provide her community with a voice in government. The book details her many accomplishments and her strong civic values. The text is clear and informative. There are also many photographs throughout. Haaland’s story shows what civic participation looks like. This is a fine contribution.