Genre: Middle-grade, contemporary
Published: Clarion Books, May 2023
My Rating: 5/5 stars
“We are here to help you carry the sky when you have to, and we are here to help you put it down when you need to. Why else would anyone ever become a teacher?”
There are lots of great middle-grade books worth a read as an adult too, simply because they’re a ton of fun. Then there are a few exceptional ones out there, penned with such emotional power and skill that they deserve to be read by as many people as possible, regardless of their age. The Labors of Hercules Beal lives on the intersection of those categories. Fun, emotionally layered, wise and packed with friendship and love: I adored it.
The Story:
Hercules Beal is named after one of the biggest hero’s in Greek mythology, but feels anything but heroic himself. He’s the smallest kid in class at his new school, his parents have passed away recently and his brother is working overtime to hold up the family business and take care of his little brother. You can imagine his annoyance when his new eccentric teacher (a retired lieutenant colonel who insist on being addressed as such, thank you very much!) assigns their class a massive Greek-mythology project, spanning all summer. Each of them gets a personalized assignment, and Hercules’ obviously has to do with his namesake. He is to reflect on the 12 labor of Hercules, and “do, execute, accomplish” them in his own life. This sets off a summer full of adventure, wonder, learning and labors both physically and emotional.
What I loved:
I was initially worried that the “gimmicks” would take away from my enjoyment; the 12-labor-set-up, Herc’s reflection-notes that he begrudgingly turns in to Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer, and his subsequent critiques/responses on those assignments (usually about grammar). I quickly found out that I loved this format for this particular story. Gary D. Schmidt manages to give Hercules an incredibly authentic (age-appropriate) narrative voice, filled with wry and snarky humor, contrasted with wisdoms and reflections that go far beyond what a kid his age should be dealing with. Either one of those elements individually risks alienating the reader, but the way Schmidt contrasts them and balances them out, is done to perfection.
Although Herc’s reflections in writing which he must turn in to his teacher, feel a bit forced: it makes sense because they are. As the story progresses, we see Herc’s outlook on the labors change though, and see the dynamic between Herc and his teacher shift in response through these notes. It’s a subtle and understated way of addressing topics that might otherwise be “too heavy”, and works perfectly in this context.
Herc’s labors are far from mythological. They’re relatable, sometimes silly events in his life, but they force him to show bravery and confront his own personal monsters all the same. I loved how, contrary to the mythological Hercules, Herc doesn’t have to do these labors by himself. There’s a strong focus on community, family, friendship and support systems that is absolutely heartwarming. Over the course of the book, I came to love so many of these side characters. From Achilles’s devotion to continue life and take care of his little brother despite his own grief, to Viola the Vampire, Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer, and the rest of the townsfolk. Again here: their gimmickiness balances out the deep emotional layer and lessons they bring to the story. The phrase "it takes a village to raise a child” truly gets deeper meaning here, and I loved what the author did with that idea in a middle-grade book. More present and responsible adults in children’s literature please!
Overall, this book and its characters weaseled their way into my heart, more so than I was expecting. It was an emotional journey that left me with a smile on my face with every “Oh boy, Oh boy”, and a lump in my throat with equal frequency. Because, like Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer likes to remind us: “It’s a tough world Sugimoto”, but that doesn’t mean you have to carry the world of it on your shoulders all by yourself.
You can find this book here on Goodreads.
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