The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt. Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2023. Children's middle grade fiction.

After the death of their parents, Achilles and Hercules Beal run their family's nursery business on Cape Cod. Hercules is going into seventh grade in the Cape Cod Academy for Environmental Sciences this fall. His homeroom teacher is Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer and his English class will be studying classical mythology. Hercules, the smallest kid in the class, has the assignment of studying the labors of the mythical Hercules and reporting back on them and how his own life is affected by the study. 

Hercules is learning to deal with his parents' deaths, going to a new school, making friends, working hard at the nursery, and learning about his community and neighbors. Schmidt has done a masterful job of showing how his teacher's influence helps him become a better writer and person. From golden leaves on trees to making a noble gesture at an art auction to learning to like and understand his brother's girlfriend and understanding that people can stay in touch over miles and time, Hercules is a hero for the ages. He finds that a single person does not have to overcome all by himself, but can be made stronger by others.

This is a wonderful story of friendship, family, really hard work, and happiness beyond belief. It would make a great read-a-loud for a classroom.