Quiet Hero

The Ira Hayes Story
By S. D. Nelson
Paperback: $11.95

A biography of Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian who was one of the six soldiers to raise the United States flag on Iwo Jima during World War II, an event immortalized by Joe Rosenthal’s Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph.

Description

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.

About the Creators

S. D. Nelson
S. D. Nelson

S.D. Nelson is an award-winning illustrator, whose work includes Lee & Low's Crazy Horse's Vision, Jim Thorpe's Bright Path, and Quiet Hero. He is also the author and illustrator of many picture book stories inspired by the traditions of his Lakota heritage--including Gift Horse, winner of the Parents' Choice Award, and The Star People, an Oppenheim Gold Award winner. A former middle school art teacher, Nelson is now a full-time artist whose paintings are held in both private and public collections. He is of Lakota (Sioux) descent and lives with his wife in Chandler, Arizona. Visit him online at sdnelson.net.

Reviews

  • "Several spreads dynamically capture the fury of war, and the text is readable and informative. The author's note provides a bit more information about this well-known military moment."

    - Booklist
  • "The writing is clear and avoids fictionalized thoughts or dialogue. Soft, well-composed acrylic paintings support the text. Nelson cleverly obscures the faces of the soldiers in battle, emphasizing their anonymity, conveying the fact that any one of them could have been in Hayes's position, and underscoring his struggle to accept attention that he believed to be undeserved. . . A satisfying read for those in search of background on the iconic photograph, families looking for a patriotic story, and students seeking material on minority Americans."

    - School Library Journal
  • "Stationed in the Pacific, Ira, always 'an honorable warrior,' was nonetheless often frightened. He was also one of six men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima, an act that singularly thrust him into the popular imagination as Americans searched for heroes. Nelson captures this duality with a title that signals a private man and mural-like illustrations that honor an event that has taken on a mythic dimension."

    - The Horn Book

Paperback

  • ISBN 9781600604270
  • Price $11.95
  • Publication Date Sep 01, 2006
  • Trim Size 10.75 × 9 in
  • Weight 0.4375 lbs
  • Page Count 32
  • Word Count 1607
  • Hardcover

  • ISBN 9781584302636
  • Price $16.95
  • Publication Date Sep 01, 2006
  • Trim Size 10.75 × 9 in
  • Weight 0.4375 lbs
  • Page Count 32
  • Word Count 1607
  • Interests

  • Imprint Lee & Low Books
  • Audience Children
  • BISAC Category 1 JNF / Biography & Autobiography /Cultural & Regional
  • BISAC Category 2 JNF / History / Military & Wars
  • BISAC Category 3 JNF / Native American
  • Themes Biography / Memoir, Conflict resolution, Coping with Death, Courage, Discrimination, Dreams & Aspirations, Empathy / Compassion, Heroism, History & Civics, Identity / Self Esteem / Confidence, Indigenous / First Nations / Native American, Informational / Expository Nonfiction, Leadership, Nonfiction, Optimism / Enthusiasm, Overcoming Obstacles, Persistence / Grit, Pride, Respect / Citizenship, Responsibility, Social Justice & Activism, United States History, War, World War II
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 7 - 13
  • Grade Range Grades 2 - 8
  • Guided Reading V
  • ATOS Book Level 5.6
  • DRA 50
  • Interest Level Grades 2 - 8
  • Lexile Level 930
  • Reading Level 4
  • SRC 6.1
  • Bebop Reading Fluent
  • This Book is Included in These Collections:

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