‘Life is tough,’ says the ex-Marine teacher at Hercules Beal’s new school. Hercules knows that already. He’s lost his parents and is left to the care of his older brother, who would rather be anywhere else than their family farm and nursery. In The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt, Hercules is assigned the task of performing the twelve labors of the mythical Hercules as a class project. He doesn’t know how these myths could possibly relate to his life nor does he have any idea how he’s going to complete this assignment.
Over the course of this realistic fiction novel, Hercules does perform the mythical Hercule’s twelve labors. His success is not only measured in their completion, but in life lessons: helping his neighbors, letting go of anger, finding family in unexpected places, taking on responsibility, accepting circumstances beyond his control, and coping with loss, to name a few.
If ‘learning lessons’ gives you the idea this story is serious, think again. Labors was entertaining and funny throughout, chiefly because Hercules tells us his story in his own unique and slightly sarcastic voice. Coming along side Hercules, are a cast of characters who add depth and interest to Hercules’ journey and create a world you’d love to visit in real life. I especially appreciate all the adults who treat Hercules as capable and trustworthy, while caring for him. What a change from books where the kids are sneaking around to make the plot happen!
Amazon rates this book for kids ages 8-12. I would agree, although Hercules does get into a fight, thinks his brother’s girlfriend could be a vampire, and has his first kiss, so keep in mind that although this book keeps it pretty innocent the main character is a seventh grader. And Hercules recounts the accident and aftermath of his parents’ death. It could be a hard topic for kids on the younger end of that age range.
Bottom Line: The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt is a warm, funny, and heartfelt story of living life after loss. I loved seeing Hercules’ growth throughout the course of the book. Overall, it was enjoyable and enduring. I absolutely recommend it!