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Mini Myths
Mini Myths: Play Nice, Hercules!
Hercules is not as interested in “playing nice” as he is in playing strong! But when one feat of strength destroys his little sister’s 12-piece tower, he must use his powers for good to restore the tower and seek her forgiveness. She forgives him indeed, and then shows her own strength by gleefully knocking down the stacked blocks herself! Joan Holub’s expertly focused text pairs perfectly with Leslie Patricelli’s famously humorous illustrations. Includes a summary of the original Hercules’s Twelve Labors myth at the end.
Also available in the Mini Myths Don't Get Lost, Odysseus and Good Job, Athena!
Praise for Play Nice, Hercules!
"These adorable volumes feature the title characters learning important life lessons with slight allusions to their Greek mythology counterparts."
-- School Library Journal
Also available in the Mini Myths Don't Get Lost, Odysseus and Good Job, Athena!
Praise for Play Nice, Hercules!
"These adorable volumes feature the title characters learning important life lessons with slight allusions to their Greek mythology counterparts."
-- School Library Journal
24 pages, Board Book
First published September 16, 2014
3 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Joan Holub
368 books1,234 followersNY Times bestselling children's book author:
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
February 1, 2015
I won this book from the author, Joan Holub, on her blog's stop in the 2014 *September Is For Sequels* Blog Hop. I appreciate the chance to read and review this book. I also won a couple of her *
Grimmtastic Girls
* books, which I will be reading a little later on and reviewing, too.
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This is--probably--the cutest book I have read in 2015, easily. It's a retelling of the myth concerning Hercules, and shows him as a fussy tolder that is out to prove that he can do as he pleases. That is, until Daddy steps in and asks him to "play nice". After that, he starts being a sweet brother, and rebuilds his sister's block structure up for her. Really cute!
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I would love to read others from this series.
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This is--probably--the cutest book I have read in 2015, easily. It's a retelling of the myth concerning Hercules, and shows him as a fussy tolder that is out to prove that he can do as he pleases. That is, until Daddy steps in and asks him to "play nice". After that, he starts being a sweet brother, and rebuilds his sister's block structure up for her. Really cute!
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I would love to read others from this series.
September 20, 2014
Another great hit by Joan Holub, This is a great story featuring mythology, however it has the story line of brothers and sisters and how the brother wants to be strong.. and is great story for siblings. It is also perfect for the very young up to a pre k age, the physical book is a thick cardboard type, and can be wiped off easy and not tear when little hands are playing and reading it. It is perfect for kids to "read" alone or with a parent. In the back of the book is even a brief story of Hercules for more mythology if you choose to use that as a learning tool but still simple for young ones to understand. great book.
September 25, 2014
Cute pictures. The book is very solid and hard to destroy for little children. The text is short, so a good read for younger ones. The myth of Hercules isn’t taken very far here, but the aspect of being strong and accidentally hurting loved ones reflects in the story, a story that is familiar to children’s everyday life. Which sister’s older brother doesn’t want to be STRONG and destroy stuff? And which little sister doesn’t get sad when it happens sometimes? It’s funny and cute. Great book for little kids. I am going to read it to my niece of 4.
November 5, 2014
"Play Nice Hercules" is an adorable board book that introduces Greek Mythology to little ones. The book is short and simple. The story line is clear enough for my 1 year old to understand. Hercules is strong and rough but he destroys things and hurts his sister's feelings. He learns how to play "nice". My 1 year old really enjoys this book. We are always telling him to be gentle. He loves the adorable illustrations. They make him giggle and empathize. When Hercules' sister is crying he says "awww" and pats her face. What a clever little book to help little ones discover life skills.
September 27, 2023
Hercules doesn’t want to play nicely with his sister - he wants to be rough! After destroying the toys and blocks of his sister, he must laboriously put the 12 blocks back together to be forgiven. Some cute nods to the original myths throughout this book.
September 16, 2014
Summary of the Book:
Hercules has been warned by his dad to play nice. But, Hercules doesn't play nice. No, he is big and strong. He fights monsters and bad guys. He knocks down castles. Only catch is that the castle was actually built by his little sister, and now she is crying. Hercules learns to apologize to his sister and fix his mistake, a lesson that the Hercules from Greek Mythology also had to learn.
Our Review:
These two board books (including also Be Patient, Pandora!) are absolutely captivating reads for toddlers. The brilliant balance between sparse words, dialogue, and colorful illustrations makes both of these books inviting and friendly, while at the same time teaching important lessons. It is obvious that the author and illustrator worked closely together to bring out each others' strengths. The pages alternate between concisely worded text playing off of the illustration to pages with only illustrations. Because of this, the books beg for the reader to act out the naughty behavior of each character or the reactions of the other characters involved.
Each book also has a summary of the actual Greek Myth character from which the stories are based at the end of the book. I found this really useful because I hadn't read any Greek Mythology since elementary school, which was a long time ago. I especially liked how the blocks in Play Nice, Hercules! had images of each of the labors that Hercules had to face. Knocking those blocks over in the book was not only funny to my daughter but also symbolic.
These books make great lessons on manners and would be excellent in a preschool classroom. Children will be able to easily relate to the temptations of both Hercules and Pandora, which will make understanding the importance of being kind to your family and having patience interesting and straightforward.
My 2 year old likes the Play Nice, Hercules! the best, while my seven year old informed me that Be Patient, Pandora! is better. This makes complete sense since my youngest is always knocking over blocks and other things and my oldest may need to work on her patience. I am looking forward to reading these with Little J as she grows to see how well she actually understands the lessons being taught. Since receiving these books from Ms. Joan Holub a couple months ago, we have read them more times than I can count. They have been read to the dog, stuff animals, and little doll house figurines. I can usually find them in bed with Little J because she carries them up there during nap time. She shouts, "Oh! No" every time Hercules knocks down the castle or Pandora makes the cup cakes go flying. These facts, so much more than the words I use in my review, prove that these books are great.
Hercules has been warned by his dad to play nice. But, Hercules doesn't play nice. No, he is big and strong. He fights monsters and bad guys. He knocks down castles. Only catch is that the castle was actually built by his little sister, and now she is crying. Hercules learns to apologize to his sister and fix his mistake, a lesson that the Hercules from Greek Mythology also had to learn.
Our Review:
These two board books (including also Be Patient, Pandora!) are absolutely captivating reads for toddlers. The brilliant balance between sparse words, dialogue, and colorful illustrations makes both of these books inviting and friendly, while at the same time teaching important lessons. It is obvious that the author and illustrator worked closely together to bring out each others' strengths. The pages alternate between concisely worded text playing off of the illustration to pages with only illustrations. Because of this, the books beg for the reader to act out the naughty behavior of each character or the reactions of the other characters involved.
Each book also has a summary of the actual Greek Myth character from which the stories are based at the end of the book. I found this really useful because I hadn't read any Greek Mythology since elementary school, which was a long time ago. I especially liked how the blocks in Play Nice, Hercules! had images of each of the labors that Hercules had to face. Knocking those blocks over in the book was not only funny to my daughter but also symbolic.
These books make great lessons on manners and would be excellent in a preschool classroom. Children will be able to easily relate to the temptations of both Hercules and Pandora, which will make understanding the importance of being kind to your family and having patience interesting and straightforward.
My 2 year old likes the Play Nice, Hercules! the best, while my seven year old informed me that Be Patient, Pandora! is better. This makes complete sense since my youngest is always knocking over blocks and other things and my oldest may need to work on her patience. I am looking forward to reading these with Little J as she grows to see how well she actually understands the lessons being taught. Since receiving these books from Ms. Joan Holub a couple months ago, we have read them more times than I can count. They have been read to the dog, stuff animals, and little doll house figurines. I can usually find them in bed with Little J because she carries them up there during nap time. She shouts, "Oh! No" every time Hercules knocks down the castle or Pandora makes the cup cakes go flying. These facts, so much more than the words I use in my review, prove that these books are great.
October 7, 2014
Originally published on my blog,
Nine Pages
.
This board book tells the Hercules myth with pictures and text that feature a toddler Hercules stomping about the house smashing “monsters” and then his sister’s block tower instead of killing his family. Upon her tears, he stoops to help rebuild it, rebuilding his relationship with his sister as well, instead of completing his twelve labors. Then the end summarizes in a paragraph with much exclusion and downplaying for the toddler audience the myth of Hercules. This is a book that children could grow with, reading the myth paragraph as a separate story when they’re older, though whether a beginning reader would want to read a paragraph at the end of a board book is another question.
In the paragraph “he accidentally hurt his family.” That understates the damage done by Hercules in the myth just a bit, but I suppose without going into an explanation of the horrible marriage of Hera and Zeus and the birth of Hercules, that’s not an unfair statement, and honestly, I think Holub did a pretty stellar job of translating the myth for a modern, toddler audience. Hopefully no toddler is spurred by a jealous goddess into a rage and kills his family, but sure, a toddler could for no reason other than for sport, destroy his younger sister’s block tower. That’s entirely relatable and still gets at the wanton, accidental destruction in the Hercules myth. I would waffle on whether Hercules was forgiven by everyone when he completed the twelve labors, but the young Hercules character within this board book, who destroys a block tower, might plausibly be forgiven entirely by everyone, and the concept of the omnipotence of the Greek gods and the promise of immortality are ones probably beyond the curriculum of the average toddler.
Holub already has a reputation as a reteller of myths with her middle grade series, Goddess Girls, which places the young goddesses and gods of Greek myths within a middle school setting; Grimmtastic Girls, in which heroines from Grimms’ fairy tales attend prep school and fight against the E.V.I.L. Society; Heroes in Training, which features young heroes of Greek myth on adventures; and picture books like Little Red Writing, which is a parody of “Little Red Riding Hood.” There are others, but this list gives you some idea of the time and energy that she has put into retelling stories for a young, modern audience.
Leslie Patricelli is an equally prolific and prominent board book illustrator, with such titles as Potty, Huggy Kissy, and Tickle.
I suspect this team to sell well. I hope that they do, but so far at my store the title isn’t flying off the shelves like it should.
This board book tells the Hercules myth with pictures and text that feature a toddler Hercules stomping about the house smashing “monsters” and then his sister’s block tower instead of killing his family. Upon her tears, he stoops to help rebuild it, rebuilding his relationship with his sister as well, instead of completing his twelve labors. Then the end summarizes in a paragraph with much exclusion and downplaying for the toddler audience the myth of Hercules. This is a book that children could grow with, reading the myth paragraph as a separate story when they’re older, though whether a beginning reader would want to read a paragraph at the end of a board book is another question.
In the paragraph “he accidentally hurt his family.” That understates the damage done by Hercules in the myth just a bit, but I suppose without going into an explanation of the horrible marriage of Hera and Zeus and the birth of Hercules, that’s not an unfair statement, and honestly, I think Holub did a pretty stellar job of translating the myth for a modern, toddler audience. Hopefully no toddler is spurred by a jealous goddess into a rage and kills his family, but sure, a toddler could for no reason other than for sport, destroy his younger sister’s block tower. That’s entirely relatable and still gets at the wanton, accidental destruction in the Hercules myth. I would waffle on whether Hercules was forgiven by everyone when he completed the twelve labors, but the young Hercules character within this board book, who destroys a block tower, might plausibly be forgiven entirely by everyone, and the concept of the omnipotence of the Greek gods and the promise of immortality are ones probably beyond the curriculum of the average toddler.
Holub already has a reputation as a reteller of myths with her middle grade series, Goddess Girls, which places the young goddesses and gods of Greek myths within a middle school setting; Grimmtastic Girls, in which heroines from Grimms’ fairy tales attend prep school and fight against the E.V.I.L. Society; Heroes in Training, which features young heroes of Greek myth on adventures; and picture books like Little Red Writing, which is a parody of “Little Red Riding Hood.” There are others, but this list gives you some idea of the time and energy that she has put into retelling stories for a young, modern audience.
Leslie Patricelli is an equally prolific and prominent board book illustrator, with such titles as Potty, Huggy Kissy, and Tickle.
I suspect this team to sell well. I hope that they do, but so far at my store the title isn’t flying off the shelves like it should.
October 26, 2014
I seriously would give ALL of Joan Holubs books 10 stars if I could - I have read a few of the Goddess Girls series as well as the Grimmtastic series and now her Mini Myth board books! I am a HUGE mythology buff, so even though these are geared for very young children, I just loved them :) Joan took an ancient myth and placed it in our times and made Hercules a child, which is something she does with her other books as well. It really allows the reader to relate to the character on a whole new level, and I think children who have learned about these mythological characters in school will really feel like they know Hercules :) The books are heavy and sturdy and the illustrations by Leslie Patricelli are just so cute! Hercules is just a young boy in the book and his sister wants to play but Hercules is SO strong, and he wants to play strong! But he is supposed to play very nicely with his sister and he does not want to. Will Hercules be able to contain his abilities and have a good time with his sister??? You REALLY need to grab copies of these board books for your little ones and for your young adults grab up the Goddess Girls and Grimmtastic Girls Series' - I guarantee they will LOVE them! Joan Holub is one of my favorite authors of today, and she is a wonderful person as well :) These make great stocking stuffers too ...
***I received a complimentary ebook in exchange for an open and honest review***
***I received a complimentary ebook in exchange for an open and honest review***
August 3, 2014
Mini Myths; Play Nice, Hercules! Is a modern day parable, mythology based about a young Hercules. The Mini Myths; Play Nice, Hercules is based around Hercules a strong hero who caused destruction and hurt his family by mistake. With a twist, Joan Holub and illustrated by Leslie Patricelli brings Greek Mythology to the young, about a young Hercules, keeping the Greek Mythology alive with a modern take.
In the Mini Myths; Play Nice, Young Hercules, a young Hercules causes mischief when playing with his little sister. After being asked by his father if he is playing nice, but a young Hercules says he is mot but STRONG, he can take down monsters and castles. When knocking down blocks his sister was playing with his father asks again are you playing nice? And apologizes and fixes it. Like the Greek mythology, Hercules hurt his family but not intentionally, thanks to a troublemaking goddess named Hera he accidentally hurt them and decided two take on twelve challenges called Labors and once completed he was forgiven.
In Play Nice, Hercules! With keeping the spirit alive of the Greek Mythology of Hercules with a modern twist allows the young to enjoy the tales with a explanation of the Greek tale following the end of story.
With fun illustrations, followed by the text, Mini Myths; Play Nice Hercules! Will leave you looking for more.
September 23, 2014
Such a cute book! It is also so very relevant to my little family. I only wish I had this book sooner. I have a four year old son and a nine month old daughter. It is just like the age gap between Hercules and his little sister in the book. Hercules thinks that just because he is strong, he doesn't have to play nice. Then he knocks over his little sister's blocks and makes her cry. He tries to fix it by rebuilding the block tower she had. Getting exactly what he deserves, his sister knocks down his hard work. The two of them then have a great time playing together.
My son wouldn't really sit to look at the book very well. I actually think he thought it was too simple for him, but I made him look at it anyway. He takes toys away from his little sister all the time and makes her cry. He was great with sharing with her when she couldn't move around on her own, but now that she rolls around and takes toys, he takes them back. It's a constant battle to get him to play with the toys she wants when he isn't playing with them. I am thinking I will have him look at this book a few more times in hopes that he understands that eventually he will play the way he wants her to. The art and story is absolutely fantastic.Simple but gets the point across. I really liked how the end of the book had a page detailing very briefly who Hercules was in Greek Myth.
My son wouldn't really sit to look at the book very well. I actually think he thought it was too simple for him, but I made him look at it anyway. He takes toys away from his little sister all the time and makes her cry. He was great with sharing with her when she couldn't move around on her own, but now that she rolls around and takes toys, he takes them back. It's a constant battle to get him to play with the toys she wants when he isn't playing with them. I am thinking I will have him look at this book a few more times in hopes that he understands that eventually he will play the way he wants her to. The art and story is absolutely fantastic.Simple but gets the point across. I really liked how the end of the book had a page detailing very briefly who Hercules was in Greek Myth.
September 26, 2014
I recently reviewed the first book in this new board book series for little ones, "Be Patient, Pandora!", and like the first book, this story is based on a Greek myth, retold for toddlers of today. In this installment, little Hercules isn't playing nice. He's being rough with his toys, and even knocks over his little sister's castle of blocks! He's kind of bad, really! But never fear, because Hercules realizes he wasn't playing nice, and helps to fix his mistakes. I think that I may have enjoyed Pandora's story a little bit more, but I think little ones will have fun reading (listening to) this one.
Like the previous book, the illustrations are bright and fun to look at! I think it's cute that Hercules' dad looks a little bit hipster, that makes me smile. Little Hercules and his sister have such expressive faces. You can easily see how they are feeling.
This is another fun and lively installment of the Mini Myths series of board books. It's great to read a retelling of Greek myths for little ones, which will hopefully spark more interest in classics for childrens in the future.
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
book sent by the author in exchange for an honest review
Like the previous book, the illustrations are bright and fun to look at! I think it's cute that Hercules' dad looks a little bit hipster, that makes me smile. Little Hercules and his sister have such expressive faces. You can easily see how they are feeling.
This is another fun and lively installment of the Mini Myths series of board books. It's great to read a retelling of Greek myths for little ones, which will hopefully spark more interest in classics for childrens in the future.
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
book sent by the author in exchange for an honest review
August 7, 2014
If you're a fan of the Greek Mythology, you will love this new series from Joan Holub & Leslie Patricelli, Mini Myths. Perfect for little hands, these sturdy board books are a great way introduce toddlers to some mythology favorites like Hercules & Pandora, while reading them a story they can easily identify with. The easy, plain text makes it great for short attention spans, and the simplistic pictures with their bright primary colors will engage toddlers. At the end of each book, Holub paraphrases the mythology behind each character for children to understand.
In, Play Nice Hercules, Hercules learns the importance of playing nice with his little sister. Which is hard when all he wants to do is knocking over the tower of blocks. In, Be Patient Pandora, Pandora receives a beautifully wrapped present, and told not to open it. Being Pandora, she finds ways to inspect the box without actually opening it. That is until she accidentally does something that opens the box.
While both books feature toddler sized versions of two popular Greek Gods, these stories are more about manners and learning lessons in patience and playing nice. Something toddlers and young children will easily identify with.
In, Play Nice Hercules, Hercules learns the importance of playing nice with his little sister. Which is hard when all he wants to do is knocking over the tower of blocks. In, Be Patient Pandora, Pandora receives a beautifully wrapped present, and told not to open it. Being Pandora, she finds ways to inspect the box without actually opening it. That is until she accidentally does something that opens the box.
While both books feature toddler sized versions of two popular Greek Gods, these stories are more about manners and learning lessons in patience and playing nice. Something toddlers and young children will easily identify with.
September 20, 2014
My family and I really enjoyed this simple, adorable board book. I love that this book is a modern twist on the Mythology of Hercules and I think its a story that most kids (especially boys) can relate to. Even though this book was meant for and belongs to my two year old, I took the opportunity to read it to my five year old nephew when he was over my house because he tends to be a be a bit on the aggressive side when playing.
In the book, Hercules was told by his father to play nicely but he didnt want to play "nice," he wanted to be strong. My nephew pointed out how he likes to be big and strong too. Then we talked about how he can play strong but still be nice, and how we have to be respectful of other people and what they are doing. It was such a great learning experience for him and I'm so glad we got to share that moment together! I would recommend this for any child 1-5 to help teach them manners and kindness.
Basically, so far the Mini Myths Series has been such a great book series for our family and we cant wait to see what other board books Joan Holub writes! I did receive this book for my honest and unbiased review. I would never recommend something that I didn't absolutely love and all opinions are completely my own.
In the book, Hercules was told by his father to play nicely but he didnt want to play "nice," he wanted to be strong. My nephew pointed out how he likes to be big and strong too. Then we talked about how he can play strong but still be nice, and how we have to be respectful of other people and what they are doing. It was such a great learning experience for him and I'm so glad we got to share that moment together! I would recommend this for any child 1-5 to help teach them manners and kindness.
Basically, so far the Mini Myths Series has been such a great book series for our family and we cant wait to see what other board books Joan Holub writes! I did receive this book for my honest and unbiased review. I would never recommend something that I didn't absolutely love and all opinions are completely my own.
September 22, 2014
I received this book free for my honest review which I've given. This review first appeared on my blog Christy's Cozy Corners.
Play Nice, Hercules is part of a brand new board book series called Mini Myths. As soon as I saw these titles, I knew I wanted to read them. I love anything that introduces young children to classic stories. Though toddlers won't understand the complete story of Hercules, it is introducing the name "Hercules" to them and giving them a lesson on kindness. I love how the blocks Hercules's little sister was building with each represent one of his Twelve Labors that he must complete. And parents will appreciate the summary of the Twelve Labors at the end of the book.
The quality of the book is wonderful. Some board books are still a little flimsy, but this is really high quality. The US price is only 6.95 and it is well worth it! Leslie Patricelli's illustrations are so colorful and entertaining. They're very appealing to young children (and their parents!). Author Joan Holub is a wonderful author. I've read stories written by her in the past. She has a strong track record in mythology, and I love that she's now sharing these myths with the youngest children.
Play Nice, Hercules is part of a brand new board book series called Mini Myths. As soon as I saw these titles, I knew I wanted to read them. I love anything that introduces young children to classic stories. Though toddlers won't understand the complete story of Hercules, it is introducing the name "Hercules" to them and giving them a lesson on kindness. I love how the blocks Hercules's little sister was building with each represent one of his Twelve Labors that he must complete. And parents will appreciate the summary of the Twelve Labors at the end of the book.
The quality of the book is wonderful. Some board books are still a little flimsy, but this is really high quality. The US price is only 6.95 and it is well worth it! Leslie Patricelli's illustrations are so colorful and entertaining. They're very appealing to young children (and their parents!). Author Joan Holub is a wonderful author. I've read stories written by her in the past. She has a strong track record in mythology, and I love that she's now sharing these myths with the youngest children.
October 22, 2014
This book has more text than the first, but does not go beyond one sentence on a page. Hercules is a toddler who has a habit of getting into mischief. Patricelli says it all in the wonderful facial expressions in her character. Dad warns him to play nice with his little sister who is sitting on the floor with her blocks. You can guess what happens when Hercules decides to display his strength. I especially enjoyed the way Holub used sound words like whomp-stomp and ka-boom to combine pictures and actions of the story. Mighty Hercules will have to learn how to contain his powers, and the siblings will learn a valuable lesson in the process.
Both sturdy board books contain summaries of the Greek myths upon which they are based on the back cover of the book. This is particularly useful for adult readers who may have forgotten the story and also allows the young child to “grow into” an interest for classical Greek literature at a later point in time. Parents and teachers may use the series as an early introduction to fine literature as well as a way to teach the skills and values that toddlers are beginning to develop.
Both sturdy board books contain summaries of the Greek myths upon which they are based on the back cover of the book. This is particularly useful for adult readers who may have forgotten the story and also allows the young child to “grow into” an interest for classical Greek literature at a later point in time. Parents and teachers may use the series as an early introduction to fine literature as well as a way to teach the skills and values that toddlers are beginning to develop.
September 30, 2015
{My Thoughts} – Myths, who doesn’t enjoy reading about them? They pop up in many sci-fi type television shows and things and are rather interesting. I really like this simple version of Hercules and what he was like written through the authors eyes. This is the perfect book for any parent looking to introduce their child to Greek Myths.
In this book Hercules is all about being strong and not really being nice to his little sister. It shows the normal older sibling younger sibling dynamic. But it also shows that Hercules was a good guy even though he was portrayed as a trouble maker. The colors are bright and eye catching. The illustrations go along perfectly with the book. I only wish that these book was around when my children were babies. It would have been a wonderful bedtime story for the little ones!
This is a must have book for anyone that has children and enjoys Greek mythology. It makes a great introduction story for young ones, that I am sure any little child can enjoy. My seven year-old sat down and read this book one day and the next he was reading it again. He liked the back page that explained more about Hercules the most.
In this book Hercules is all about being strong and not really being nice to his little sister. It shows the normal older sibling younger sibling dynamic. But it also shows that Hercules was a good guy even though he was portrayed as a trouble maker. The colors are bright and eye catching. The illustrations go along perfectly with the book. I only wish that these book was around when my children were babies. It would have been a wonderful bedtime story for the little ones!
This is a must have book for anyone that has children and enjoys Greek mythology. It makes a great introduction story for young ones, that I am sure any little child can enjoy. My seven year-old sat down and read this book one day and the next he was reading it again. He liked the back page that explained more about Hercules the most.
October 27, 2014
We started off with Hercules, first because it featured a boy, second because Max loves the Hercules Disney movie, and third because I've found myself saying "play nice" quite a bit since May. Luckily my five-month-old is laid-back because his brother likes to play rough. The board book format is perfect because I can read it to both boys at the same time and not worry about the baby ripping or drooling all over the pages; rather, the only problem is the possibility of Max throwing the books at nap time or bedtime because he's "NOT TIRED" - yeah right - but I digress.
In "Play Nice, Hercules!" the character, just like my toddler, plays a little too rough with his little sibling. Hercules' father has eyes in the back of his head (or just knows the nature of toddlers) and asks when he walks by, "Are you being nice, Hercules?" This is enough of a reminder to Hercules that he starts to play nicely with his sister without threats from Dad. Perhaps rereading this book a few thousand times will teach Max that lesson!
In "Play Nice, Hercules!" the character, just like my toddler, plays a little too rough with his little sibling. Hercules' father has eyes in the back of his head (or just knows the nature of toddlers) and asks when he walks by, "Are you being nice, Hercules?" This is enough of a reminder to Hercules that he starts to play nicely with his sister without threats from Dad. Perhaps rereading this book a few thousand times will teach Max that lesson!
October 17, 2014
Hercules is a naughty little boy. He likes to be big and strong. He likes to be stomp! So when he notices his little baby sister making a castle out of her play blocks, Hercules simply HAS to knock them over!!
Can Hercules play nice? Will he fix his mistakes and make things better again?
The Mini Myths board books are a “modern” twist to the mythological tales of Pandora and Hercules. An author’s note at the back narrates the myth in short; however, the tie-in is obviously beyond the understanding for this age group. Having said that, I really like the short story and the “morals” of these Mini Myths without necessarily needing the tie-in.
Joan Holub’s simple short words and sentences are perfect for a toddler read aloud story. Leslie Patricelli well known for her colorful toddler books “Yummy, Yuck” is a natural fit for the Mini Myth set.
Detailed review here:http://www.stackingbooks.com/?p=3460
Can Hercules play nice? Will he fix his mistakes and make things better again?
The Mini Myths board books are a “modern” twist to the mythological tales of Pandora and Hercules. An author’s note at the back narrates the myth in short; however, the tie-in is obviously beyond the understanding for this age group. Having said that, I really like the short story and the “morals” of these Mini Myths without necessarily needing the tie-in.
Joan Holub’s simple short words and sentences are perfect for a toddler read aloud story. Leslie Patricelli well known for her colorful toddler books “Yummy, Yuck” is a natural fit for the Mini Myth set.
Detailed review here:http://www.stackingbooks.com/?p=3460
October 14, 2014
We received this book in exchange for our honest opinion of it.
My Thoughts:
I think my son, Jace, really loved Play Nice, Hercules the most, probably because it reminds him of himself. So because he loved it so much I am going to let him do the review for it!
Jace: I love the pictures! All the colors makes the pictures look 3D to me! It was fun to read about Hercules and watch him stomp around knocking things down. I remember doing this to my older brothers a lot and now I know a little more of how it feels. But Hercules learns his lesson and helps his little sister build the blocks back up. After my mom read me the 12 Labors of Hercules, I went back the story and found the different pictures on the blocks. These are the 12 Labors!! I am really in love with these books and I can't wait till I can read the next in the series!! Everyone should try these out!
My Thoughts:
I think my son, Jace, really loved Play Nice, Hercules the most, probably because it reminds him of himself. So because he loved it so much I am going to let him do the review for it!
Jace: I love the pictures! All the colors makes the pictures look 3D to me! It was fun to read about Hercules and watch him stomp around knocking things down. I remember doing this to my older brothers a lot and now I know a little more of how it feels. But Hercules learns his lesson and helps his little sister build the blocks back up. After my mom read me the 12 Labors of Hercules, I went back the story and found the different pictures on the blocks. These are the 12 Labors!! I am really in love with these books and I can't wait till I can read the next in the series!! Everyone should try these out!
October 28, 2014
I absolutely love and adore these books! However, I do wish they would have been geared for slightly older children. I feel 1-3 years old is too young to introduce mythology. I would have loved to seen them written for K-1 or 5-7 year olds. The ideals behind writing and illustrating both Pandora and Hercules are both new and uniquely done in this series. It was brilliant how the illustrations tied in Hercules' labors and Pandora's troubles into everyday objects. Although I'm not sure young readers with retain much of the mythology aspect of the books I do know that the other ideals (patience, being nice, listening to parents, etc.) will hit home.
I received both books for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I received both books for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
January 25, 2015
This book is aimed at children 1-4 years old as it is a sturdy board books with very few words. However, that does not mean that it goes without merit. This book is a clever retelling of the classic myth of Hercules, that truly packs a punch. It teaches a lesson that even the youngest of children would recognize.
The illustrations are done in bold and colorful colors. The facial features tell exactly what each character is thinking. They are done well and add greatness to the books.
For the older child or adult, the original myth has been condensed and written on the very back page. Truly this is also a nice addition to an already great book!
This book gets 5 stars!
Disclosure: I received this books from the author for my open and honest opinion. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon
The illustrations are done in bold and colorful colors. The facial features tell exactly what each character is thinking. They are done well and add greatness to the books.
For the older child or adult, the original myth has been condensed and written on the very back page. Truly this is also a nice addition to an already great book!
This book gets 5 stars!
Disclosure: I received this books from the author for my open and honest opinion. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon
October 24, 2014
Along with Play Nice, Pandora!, my daughter toted this book around for weeks. And although she didn't read it quite as much, she refused to set it down.
When I first saw this mini-myth series, I was a bit skeptical as to whether these myths (or the ideas behind them) could really be brought down to such a young age level. But yes, they can, and Joan does a terrific job doing it! I'll admit, I preferred the Pandora book over this one, but this is still, one worth reading. The illustrations are well done and colorful. The wording perfect for the intended age group. There's a nice message in this story little kids ill understand and enjoy.
On the last page, the author adds a short summary of Hercules. My son enjoyed these.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review
When I first saw this mini-myth series, I was a bit skeptical as to whether these myths (or the ideas behind them) could really be brought down to such a young age level. But yes, they can, and Joan does a terrific job doing it! I'll admit, I preferred the Pandora book over this one, but this is still, one worth reading. The illustrations are well done and colorful. The wording perfect for the intended age group. There's a nice message in this story little kids ill understand and enjoy.
On the last page, the author adds a short summary of Hercules. My son enjoyed these.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review
September 20, 2014
Hercules is a bad, rambunctious little boy. He literally wrecks the place. The illustrations really portray Hercules as an intentionally bad little boy. But when asked, "Are you playing nice?" he switches his behavior.
This is suppose to parallel the myth of Hercules. In the back of the book there is a synopsis of the story of Hercules, the myth. Frankly, I think this is beyond understanding of the targeted age group this book is designed to reach. The story of the "modern" Hercules is fine, though he really is a naughty boy, and shows behavior can be modified. I don't necessarily recommend this book, but some might feel it is appropriate for their children.
This is suppose to parallel the myth of Hercules. In the back of the book there is a synopsis of the story of Hercules, the myth. Frankly, I think this is beyond understanding of the targeted age group this book is designed to reach. The story of the "modern" Hercules is fine, though he really is a naughty boy, and shows behavior can be modified. I don't necessarily recommend this book, but some might feel it is appropriate for their children.
October 9, 2014
Loved this book! The illustrations are fun and simple, as is the text. Perfect for a toddler or earlier preschooler.
Play Nice, HERCULES was just as entertaining as Be Patient, Pandora. Like every big brother, he torments his little sister by knocking down some blocks she built. She cries, he feels bad, so he rebuilds her creation. But his lesson isn't finished there. I don't want to spoil the ending because it really captured a kid moment perfectly. This book teaches kids the importance of forgiveness and playing nicely together.
We are now huge fans of the Mini-Myths children's picture books.
* I was given copies of both Mini-Myths books for my honest review.
Play Nice, HERCULES was just as entertaining as Be Patient, Pandora. Like every big brother, he torments his little sister by knocking down some blocks she built. She cries, he feels bad, so he rebuilds her creation. But his lesson isn't finished there. I don't want to spoil the ending because it really captured a kid moment perfectly. This book teaches kids the importance of forgiveness and playing nicely together.
We are now huge fans of the Mini-Myths children's picture books.
* I was given copies of both Mini-Myths books for my honest review.
August 5, 2014
These two first books in the new Mini Myths series are a cheerful mix of mythology and toddlerhood. Pandora explores the temptation of a wrapped present and how hard it can be to wait to open it. Pandora is told to leave the present alone, but just can’t seem to stop herself from touching it, leaning on it, and accidentally opening it. Hercules is told to play nice with his little sister, but Hercules is much more interested in knocking things down than being nice. In the end of both books, the myth becomes more about manners and how to be with others.
September 19, 2014
On the surface a simple story about a little boy named Hercules who is advised to play nice with his little sister and when he blows it has to find just the right move to make it up to her. The fun (for adults) is the way the ancient Greek myth about Hercules's Twelve Labors is woven into this board book in the illustrations and in an afterword that gives a brief summary of his labors and the reason behind the mission.
I'm very impressed with how cleverly this was done. Must read/see for toddlers.
I'm very impressed with how cleverly this was done. Must read/see for toddlers.
October 19, 2014
The mini-myths are a great new clever series for babies Infant to Four-years-old!
Hercules is not as comical as Pandora but is illustrated well by Leslie Patricelli. It will colorfully get baby's attention and will assist baby in learning simple words associated with objects.
Hercules uses is massive strength at first in teasing his sister. It is a good book to teach a little boy not to do.
I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review, of which I have given.
Hercules is not as comical as Pandora but is illustrated well by Leslie Patricelli. It will colorfully get baby's attention and will assist baby in learning simple words associated with objects.
Hercules uses is massive strength at first in teasing his sister. It is a good book to teach a little boy not to do.
I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review, of which I have given.
October 15, 2014
This was a perfectly timed read for us. Our son sometimes doesn't play nice with others, as a 2 year old often does. It was really nice to read this with him and see him actually get the concept of the story. A nice update to the original mythology behind Hercules. As with, "Be Patient, Pandora" the last page tells the original mythology of Hercules. I'm looking forward to more of these books in the future.
September 24, 2014
I really love d this both.Not only does it introduce the mythological being of Hercules, but it does with bullying -or playing nice. This is a good message to start with young children. Two to four year old children would love this book. The concept of playing nice is a message all young ones need to hear and learn while their small. I think these two mini myths are absolutely great.
October 18, 2014
The Mini Myths introduce mythology to preschoolers at their level.
Hercules opposes being "nice." He is strong! He can do all kinds of strong things!
As he proves his prowess, he makes a mistake. Hercules must now fix his mistake and ask for forgiveness.
This book was very cute, and Hercules is quite a character. The illustrations of him are spot-on for young boys.
Hercules opposes being "nice." He is strong! He can do all kinds of strong things!
As he proves his prowess, he makes a mistake. Hercules must now fix his mistake and ask for forgiveness.
This book was very cute, and Hercules is quite a character. The illustrations of him are spot-on for young boys.
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