The Labors of Hercules Beal

From award-winning author Gary D. Schmidt, a warm and witty novel in the tradition of The Wednesday Wars, in which a seventh grader has to figure out how to fulfill a seemingly impossible school assignment—and learns about friendship, community, and himself along the way.

Herc Beal knows who he's named after—a mythical hero—but he's no superhero. He's the smallest kid in his class. So when his homeroom teacher at his new middle school gives him the assignment of duplicating the mythical Hercules's amazing feats in real life, he's skeptical. After all, there are no Nemean Lions on Cape Cod—and not a single Hydra in sight.

Missing his parents terribly and wishing his older brother wasn't working all the time, Herc figures out how to take his first steps along the road that the great Hercules himself once walked. Soon, new friends, human and animal, are helping him. And though his mythical role model performed his twelve labors by himself, Herc begins to see that he may not have to go it alone.

Can a kid who feels anything but heroic tackle a legendary challenge and find his own strength along the way?

A Modern Retelling of Myths: Herc has to trade battling hydras for navigating the challenges of seventh grade, from impossible teachers to feral cat colonies. A Heartfelt Story of Healing: Still grieving the loss of his parents, Herc finds an unexpected path forward through his legendary assignment and the community that rallies around him. Unlikely Friendships: From his tough-as-nails teacher, Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer, to new classmates and a one-eyed cat, Herc learns he doesn’t have to face his challenges alone. The Perfect Cape Cod Setting: Set in the beautifully rendered town of Truro, this is a story about finding your way home, even when you think you’re already there.