In The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt, Hercules Beal is a middle schooler dealing with grief and tough circumstances when his teacher assigns him a monumental task: to complete all twelve labors of Hercules. As he faces each labor, Hercules finds that challenges in his own life conveniently mirror the mythical trials. With the help of his quirky neighbors, a loyal dog, a pirate cat, and his teacher, Hercules sets out on a journey of resilience, self-discovery, and healing.
What Worked
Gary Schmidt is a master at weaving heart and meaning into his stories, and this book is no exception. Hercules’ journey through trauma feels authentic, and the cast of side characters add warmth and charm to the story. The community that surrounds Hercules is quirky and memorable, and I especially enjoyed the teacher, the dog, and the pirate cat. I also learned a surprising amount about horticulture along the way! At its core, the book carries important lessons about perseverance, friendship, and finding strength in difficult circumstances.
What Didn’t Work
As a middle school teacher, the premise quickly fell apart for me. The assignments Hercules and his classmates were asked to complete were completely unrealistic, both in their scope and in the independence required. On top of that, for Hercules, each labor unfolded far too conveniently. Just as Hercules needed to complete a task, a perfectly timed event appeared—such as delivering 125 crabapple trees at the exact moment he faced the “golden apples” labor. This pattern repeated itself across all twelve tasks, which made the story predictable and strained.
I also struggled with the pacing. The chapters are long, the plot drags in places, and the heavy reliance on em-dashes distracted from the storytelling. While I can see why teachers and librarians admire Schmidt’s ambition, I doubt many of my middle schoolers would pick this up or stick with it through the slow build.
Final Thoughts
The Labors of Hercules Beal is full of strong themes, charming characters, and a heartfelt attempt to connect myth to modern life. But for me, the unrealistic assignments and overly convenient plotting overshadowed the book’s strengths. I was more moved by Schmidt’s Orbiting Jupiter, which is tighter, shorter, and more impactful.
My Rating: 2.5/5 stars. Not one I’d recommend to my students, though I have to admit, the cover is fantastic.
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