The Labors of Hercules Beal was recently recommended to me by my 6th grade son after he read it in school. I knew it was a popular title in 2023, and many people were hoping it would win Gary Schmidt another Newbery Award, but I hadn’t yet read it. Well, I’m so happy that my son’s recommendation prompted me to do so! It is a fantastic novel that I recommend for both adults and middle grade readers.
OVERVIEW: Hercules Beal (“Herc”) is named after the mythical hero, Hercules. But, he’s the first to tell you he’s no hero – he’s the smallest kid in his class and he’s grieving the loss of his parents. His tough-as-nails-seventh grade teacher, Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer – former U.S. Marine Corps. – assigns him the task of performing the Twelve Labors of Hercules in real life. The assignment seems daunting, impossible even, but Herc discovers along the way that you can sometimes do the impossible when you look deep within yourself and accept the help of your friends and your community along the way.
Herc’s adventures are both funny and heartwarming. Schmidt has you laughing in one sentence, then crying a few sentences later.
“Isn’t one of those Labors going down to hell?”
Gary D. Schmidt
“There and back,” said Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer. “As I indicated to Ms. de la Pena, it’s a tough world, Beal.”
He leaned down over me and whispered, so quietly that no one else could hear, “But I think you already know that.”
Overall, this book really shined for me. You are rooting for Herc, and the cast of characters – friends, teachers, neighbors, Herc’s brother – are so wonderfully developed, creating a really engaging and endearing story.
AGE RANGE: I recommend this book for 5th – 7th graders; 10-13 year olds.
FAVORITE LINE: “Maybe, the stuff we hold up, we don’t have to hold up by ourselves all the time. Maybe sometimes we can let someone else hold is up too. Maybe that’s how we can get by. Maybe.”
THEMES: friendship; family, community; grief; healing
BONUS INFO:
- Setting: the setting is really well done and developed. The book takes place on a family nursery in Cape Cod, and we learn about all the homes in the neighborhood – who lives too close to the water; who has the big tree; who has hot chocolate.
- Point of View: the story is written in 1st person from Herc’s perspective, but we really get into his head through his personal reflections at the end of each labor. Hupfer’s responses to those reflections are both funny (grammar police!) and heartwarming.
I highly recommend this book!
Birdie's Bookshelf 