Quiet Hero: The Ira Hayes Story 
By S. D. Nelson
Illustrated by S. D. Nelson
9781584302636
Growing up on the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona, Ira Hayes was a quiet, shy boy. He never wanted to be the center of attention, and at school, he felt lonely and out of place.
By the time Ira was in his late teens, World War II was raging. When the United States called its men to arms, Ira answered by joining the Marine Corps. He believed it was his duty to fight honorably for his country, and with his Marine buddies by his side, Ira finally felt as if he belonged. Eventually they were sent to the tiny Japanese island of Iwo Jima, where a chance event and an extraordinary photograph catapulted Ira to national awareness and transformed his life forever.
Filled with all the patriotism and tragedy of wartime and its afteraffects, Quiet Hero is the story of one person's courage in the face of both military and personal battles. It is a poignant tribute to Ira Hayes.
Booktalk with author/illustrator S.D. Nelson
- Interest Level
- Grades 2 - 8
- Reading Level
- Grade 4
- Themes
- Biography, Heroism, Historical Interest, Native American Interest, War
S. D. Nelson is a former middle school art teacher and is now a full-time artist. He has illustrated many book, some of which he also wrote, all dealing with Native American traditions and people. He has collaborated with Joseph Bruchac several times. He is of Lakota (Sioux) descent and lives with his wife in Chandler, Arizona.
