Children's Writer, Book Reviewer, Teacher, Artist
Thrilled to host the final day of the Hercules blog tour! Read my Q&A with Tom Vaughan here.
'Hercules: The Diary of a (Sort Of) Hero' is thunderbolts of fun with a cracking message about shattering the myth of the God-like male - what's not to like? Tom Vaughan, with illustrator David O'Connell, has created an outrageous Olympian rival to current comic rulers Wimpy Kid and Loki. Children from Year 3 upwards will feast upon this in the same way! Kalamata!
If Hercules Braver is going to survive his new secondary school,he has to live up to his name, fast. He needs to become strong and tanned and popular, like a Greek hero. Not weak and pale and unpopular, like a Greek yoghurt...
I really enjoyed this madcap mix of myth and masculinity. Hercules Braver is a brilliant creation: optimistic and imaginative, but just a little bit weak and selfish. Making an impression at secondary school is a tad difficult for him and his friends, until his charming, muscly birth dad turns up to change Hercules' fortunes - and is his Dad actually the real Zeus? What begins as just another Wimpy Kid alternative quickly turns into a thoughtful and hilarious exploration of blended families and toxic fathers, wittily steered by Tom Vaughan's words and David O'Connell's engaging illustrations. Through mischief and Greek mythology, Hercules learns why it matters to be yourself with the friends that matter. A powerful message for boys and girls too. I really hope to read more about Hercules Braver in the future! Super!
Thanks to Scholastic for my copy to review.
