Gary D. Schmidt has won my heart with another of his delightful novels about middle-school kids. The latest is a youngster with the improbable name of Hercules Beal. His brother’s name is Achilles.

The Beal brothers live in Truro, a small New England town where they try to carry on following the deaths of their parents. Achilles runs the family plant farm and nursery with the help of his girlfriend, whom Hercules is convinced is a vampire.

One of Hercules's teachers is an ex-Marine who runs his class like a military unit. Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer assigns his students to a long-term project involving Greek mythology. Hercules must perform modern versions of the mythical Hercules’s twelve labors and write essays about them. How he performs them, and how they shape his young life, is the center on which this story revolves.

Schmidt has a wonderful talent for identifying with kids. His wit shines through all his works, combined with a breezy yet penetrating style that makes it difficult to stop reading, no matter how often your cell phone pings. I know, because I tried it and failed.

One of the nicest things about this book is the sense of community that arises as Hercules and his brother experience crises that test their endurance. As neighbors pull together to help them, the brothers do their part when bigger challenges threaten the entire town. Schmidt manages to make self-discipline and hard work sound like fun.

I never figured out why the Beal brothers’ parents gave them mythological names, but they suited the author’s purpose. Whatever your reading taste may be, I hope you’ll make room for The Labors of Hercules Beal. This is a five-star novel if there ever was one.

Chevron Ross's novels include Weapons of Remorse, The Seven-Day Resurrection, and The Samaritan's Patient. Click here for more information.