Anyone who is fascinated with Greek mythology will be interested in The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt. Yet the novel is not a simple retelling of the original myth of Hercules and his 12 Labors. Instead it focuses on how anyone can do hard things as long as they have a community to help them. The Labors of Hercules Beal is one of the books we are encouraging people to read in companion to The Wednesday Wars for this year’s Big Read Lakeshore program.
What It’s About
The Labors of Hercules Beal follows Hercules, whose parents were recently killed in a car crash. His brother, Achilles, has just returned to run the Beal Brothers Farm and Nursery. As if everything around him is not changing enough, Hercules has to go to a new school too.
One of Hercules’ teachers gives all his students complex yearlong assignments about Ancient Greece. Hercules’ assignment is based on his namesake. He has to find and complete modern versions of the mythical Hercules’ 12 Labors and write about them once he is done.
Hercules has enough to deal with between the assignment and working at the farm after school. Then a huge coastal storm hits that collapses houses and causes his school to have to be evacuated. It seems like everything will be too much for Hercules to handle, until he realizes that he does not have to do any of it alone.
Why Read It
The Labors of Hercules Beal is a beautiful novel about persevering through grief with the help of friends and family. Anyone who has dealt with the loss of a loved one will appreciate the subtle way that grief and regret slowly become healing and recovery throughout the story. There are many other things to love about this book though, from its play on Greek mythology to the emphasis on community.
This is a wonderful novel to use in the classroom. It will teach students how to rely on other people when they are going through hard times. It can also be used in tandem with a lesson on Ancient Greece. If you want to use The Labors of Hercules Beal in the classroom, use these resources.
Adults will also love this novel. It tells a highly engaging story about persevering through loss with the help of others. Hercules’ funny narration and honest portrayal of the people around him are as entertaining for adults as they are for students. If you or your bookclub wants to read The Labors of Hercules Beal, use these book club resources.
We are so excited for everyone to join the Big Read Lakeshore in reading Gary D. Schmidt’s books! Come hear from him at the Author Keynote Address November 16 in Graves Hall, Hope College at 7:00 p.m. If you want to learn more about this year’s program or know when our other events are, check out our website.
The post The Labors of Hercules Beal—How Community Helps Us Persevere appeared first on Big Read Lakeshore.
