Hercules

Gr 4–8—Serious students will find substantial information packed into these slim packages. Hercules, which begins with a bit of Roman history, is the most coherent. The other books each start with an anecdotal account of contemporary children engaged in an activity that leads to an encounter with a mythical character. These books are weighed down by quotations from subject authorities and other explanations. The busy format combines dense text, occasional one-page essays, and plentiful decorative elements. All the volumes end with a discussion of the subject's lasting influence. Evidently intended to serve Common Core goals, these offerings include extensive lists of adult resources in author's notes for each chapter and long lists of "Works Consulted" along with short bibliographies of childrens books and some Internet sources.