My thirteen-year-old loved this book (he rates it as his "second favorite Gary Schmidt book".Okay for Now is his favorite. I agree with his rating.), and so did I! I think liked and admired all the characters (except for a couple of his classmates at times).
Hercules Beal lives on the Beal Brothers Farm and Nursery with his older brother, Achilles. A year and a half ago their parents died in a truck accident. Achilles, who had an awesome job with National Geographic, was forced to return to his family home and raise his younger brother. As the brothers struggle to continue on with their lives without their parents, their neighborhood and school community offer support as more difficult circumstances arise in their lives.
Once again Mr. Schmidt weaves in characters from his other books into his latest novel. Danny Hupfer from Wednesday Wars is Hercules's homeroom teacher, who is a major source of encouragement.
I laughed out loud and read aloud some funny parts to my family. I cried too. Gary Schmidt knows how to portray life as it is-devastating at times yet hope is always there.
**Highly, highly recommend for junior high and older. See warnings.
Warnings: parents' truck accident is described, more peril to the main characters (ironically, vehicle accidents), dealing with death of parents, some language and the use of the word "stupid" and "jerkface" often, Towards the end of the novel, Achilles's girlfriend Viola is there in the early morning...was she sleeping over? Nothing is mentioned but one could infer, Hercules kisses his girlfriend (not described, just stated), his girlfriend's parents separate toward the end of the novel
-Borrowed from the library but may be one I will buy soon.
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