Common Sense Media Review
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Heroic, action-packed tale has violence, death of parents.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In THE LABORS OF HERCULES BEAL, seventh-grader Hercules Beal hasn't quite hit his Beal family growth spurt. He's small enough that the teacher directs him to the elementary classrooms on the first day of school. But Hercules isn't fazed -- even if his teacher has shovels for hands and a cabinet gleaming with military medals. He's survived a tragedy that left him burdened with a family business he and his brother run in their Cape Cod town of Truro. His teacher, Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer, isn't going to let him coast through this year, though -- he expects heroic feats inspired by the mythological figure who's Hercules's namesake. Can Hercules Beal handle what's coming down the pike? Will he find the strength to face his losses?
Is It Any Good?
Gary D. Schmidt does it again, girding a young hero with lots of character in this modern-day exploration of a Greek hero's myth. Layers of self-awareness swirl around the action in The Labors of Hercules Beal. The main character is aware he's being faced with namesake Herculean tasks, and the author -- in a godlike stroke -- calls in storms that suck Cape Cod cottages into the sea. The reader, a final layer, becomes inspired to face fears, to work harder, to be heroic in small and large tasks.
Humor provides punch when Hercules's world feels darkest. Pitch-perfect and exciting, fans of Schmidt's work will not be disappointed.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about hard work in The Labors of Hercules Beal. Hercules and his brother keep their family farm running thanks to their perseverance, sticking with it no matter what comes their way. How do you see your effort pay off in your life?
Though he's small for his age, Hercules is capable of huge things, like saving a woman from a storm-ravaged house. What other examples of courage can you find in this book?
Hercules's teacher tells him that myths can be surprisingly relevant in modern life. What stories or historical events speak to you?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Adventures , Book Characters , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , History
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance , Self-control
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Clarion
- Publication date : May 23, 2023
- Number of pages : 352
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Awards : ALA Best and Notable Books , Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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