The Twelve Labors of Hercules

Rating:
Summary: A good rendering of the classic tale, but with a major flaw
Review: All cultures have their legends of heroes and the greatest in Western culture is Hercules. His twelve labors were considered so impossible that any extremely difficult task is now described as herculean. However, the myth of Hercules is as much a tale of tragedy as it is of triumph, making it more complex than a simple tale of hero defeats villain. His labors are a penance for having murdered his wife and family in a fit of mindless rage. Meted out by the Oracle at Delphi, it is clear that the intent of the punishment was to have him die in the attempt. It is important for children to learn these myths, as they explain a great deal about how the ancients viewed the world and how our understanding of the world has changed over time. Books like this, detailing the labors at the level of children, should be required reading in the early years. While the story is readable and the illustrations well done, there is one serious difficulty with the book.
Zeus and the other gods, creatures such as centaurs and Titans such as Atlas appear in the labors. When my youngest daughter was reading the book, she often stopped and asked questions like, “What’s a centaur?” If I had not been present to answer the questions, her enjoyment of the book and understanding of the tales would have been significantly reduced. It would have been very helpful if a list of the characters in the book with a one sentence description had been included.
Overall, the authors do a good job in telling the greatest myth of antiquity. The illustrations help keep the attention of the reader, but the lack of explanation concerning the other characters does weaken it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent illustrated re-telling of the Heracles myth
Review: I needed a thorough and traditional re-telling of the Heracles myth to counteract the uneducational effects of Disney's animated film "Hercules". This book fits the bill. Not only is it traditional and thorough, it is fascinating, tasteful, beautifully-illustrated and intellectually-stimulating as well. My 5 year-old enjoyed this book at least as much as the animated movie (and he came away from it with a much more accurate understanding of the myth).

Rating:
Summary: Excellent illustrated re-telling of the Heracles myth
Review: I needed a thorough and traditional re-telling of the Heracles myth to counteract the uneducational effects of Disney's animated film "Hercules". This book fits the bill. Not only is it traditional and thorough, it is fascinating, tasteful, beautifully-illustrated and intellectually-stimulating as well. My 5 year-old enjoyed this book at least as much as the animated movie (and he came away from it with a much more accurate understanding of the myth).