10
11
12
2023
2023 books
2024
2024 books
4th
4th grade
5th
5th grade
6th
6th grade
8
9
A01=Gary D. Schmidt
adaptation
adolescence
adventure
age
animal
animal rescue
animals
animals dogs
antiquity
assignment
assignments
atlantic
atlantic ocean
Author_Gary D. Schmidt
award
beach
beach towncape cod
beach towngreek mythology
beach towngreek mythology books
beach townmiddle school
beal
beal brothers nursery
best books for 10 years olds
best middle grade books 2024
book
book club
book of hercules
books
books fiction
books for 10 year old boys
books for 11 year old boys
books for 11 year old girls
books for 12 year old boys
books for 12 year old girls
books for 8 year old boys
books for 8 year old girls
books for 8 year olds
books for 9 year old boys
books for 9 year old girls
books for boys
books for middle school boys
boys
boys books
brothers
cape
cape cod
cape cod interest
cape cod setting books
Category=YFB
Category=YFJ
Category=YFMF
Category=YFN
Category=YFS
Category=YXD
Category=YXE
Category=YXF
Category=YXFR
Category=YXG
Category=YXW
chapter
chapter books
charming
child
childhood
children
children s
children s books
children s fiction
childrens
childrens books
childrens books ages 8 9 10 11 12
class
classroom
coastal
cod
coming
coming age cape cod
coming of age
community
community support network
confidence for kids
contemporary
contemporary fiction
day
death
death of parents
distance
dog
dog stories
dogs
drama
education
eleven
end
end of childhood
environment
eq_bestseller
eq_childrens
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_personal-social-topics
eq_teenage-young-adult
essay
ex-marines
fable
families
family
fantasy
favorites
fiction
fiction books
fiction books for kids
fiction contemporary
fiction for boys
fiction for kids
fiction for tweens
fiction for young boys
found
found family
friend
friends
friendship
friendship book
friendship books for kids
friendship distance
funny
funny books for kids
funny gifts
funny kids books
gardening
gary
god
gods
grade
greek
greek gods
greek mythology
greek mythology books
greek mythology for kids
greek myths
grief
growing
growing up
heartwarming
hercules
hercules modern retelling kids
hercules story
hero
homework
humor
independent
independent kids
interest
introvert
introverts
j fiction
juvenile
juvenile fiction
kid
kid books
kids
kids books
kids books ages 8 9 10
kids fiction
kindness
kindness books for children
labors
learn
legend
libby
loss
making
making friends
massachusetts
mental health
mentor
mg
middle
middle grade books
middle grade fiction
middle grade readers
middle grades
middle school
middle school boy books
middle school friendship
middle school stories
middle-grade
middlegrade
modern
modern hercules story
myth
mythology
mythology books
mythology for kids
mythology homework assignment
myths
nature
network
novel
novels
nursery
ocean
old
parents
pets
petscape
petscape cod
petsgreek
petsgreek mythology books
plants
practical
practical mythology
present
present day
preteen
preteen boy books
project
quest
realistic
realistic fiction
realistic stories
rescue
retelling
sad
schmidt
school
school humor
school story
seaside
self
self esteem
self esteem books for kids
self-help
setting
sibling
sibling stories
siblings
small
small town
stories
story
strength
support
teacher
teacher stories
teachers
teen
ten
town
towncape
towngreek
townmiddle
tween
tween books for girls ages 11 12 13 14
tween boy books
tween family story
tween friendship story
tweens
twelve
twelve labors adaptation
wildlife
witty
working
working class families
writing
writing assignments
ya
ya fiction
young adult
young adult fiction
youth
zeus
zues
Product details
- ISBN 9780358699255
- Weight: 231g
- Dimensions: 130 x 194mm
- Publication Date: 05 Jun 2025
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
- Publication City/Country: US
- Product Form: Paperback
Secure
checkout
Fast Shipping
Easy returns
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.
What happens when the twelve labors of a god become homework for a regular kid?
- A Modern Take on Greek Mythology: The assignment is to perform all twelve labors, from capturing the Nemean Lion to facing Cerberus—all on contemporary Cape Cod.
- A Story About Brothers: Living with his older brother Achilles isn’t easy, especially when they’re both trying to save their family’s nursery. It’s up to Herc to figure out how to mend his family while taking on his impossible quest.
- The Grumpy Mentor: Herc’s teacher is Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer, a retired marine who doesn’t believe in friends. But his tough assignments might be exactly what Herc needs to find his own strength.
- Finding Your Own Strength: Perfect for fans of Gary D. Schmidt’s The Wednesday Wars, this powerful coming-of-age story is packed with humor, heart, and the power of community.
Gary D. Schmidt is the bestselling author of The Labors of Hercules Beal; Just Like That; National Book Award finalist Okay for Now; Pay Attention, Carter Jones; Orbiting Jupiter; the Newbery Honor and Printz Honor Book Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy; and the Newbery Honor Book The Wednesday Wars. He is also coauthor, with Ron Koertge, of Styx and Stones. He lives in rural Michigan.
