The Magnificent Hercules Quick

by Ursula Dubosarsky

Hercules Quick dreams of being a magnificent magician. He is saving up to buy a box of magic tricks. Luckily, he has plenty of neighbours who need his help. Whether it's lending a hand to Professor Calamari or doing an out-of-season spring-clean for Queen Claude, no job is too odd for Hercules.

67 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Ursula Dubosarsky is an award-winning author of numerous books for children and young adults. About The Golden Day, her first book with Candlewick Press, she says, "The little girls watch, wonder, respond, change, and grow — and then their childhood is gone, forever. This element of the story, I suppose, is at least partly autobiographical. But, as I say — all of our teachers come home safe and sound in the end." Ursula Dubosarsky lives in Australia.

Reviews

[Alicia]

This is one of those books that spends more time introducing characters than actually telling a story. Hercules decides he wants to buy a magic kit, so makes a sign advertising that he'll help with odd jobs. I think by the end he'd made 85 cents, then it ties in some very loose moral about the miracle of metamorphosis being the best thing ever.
Kid spent more on craft supplies and paints then he earned. Spoiler, it also ends without him getting a magic kit.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read with images. I understand it’s child fantasy fiction and meant to be humorous, but surely kids should be charging more than 10 cents for each job, some of which take hours? Perhaps money is worth more in this alternate universe where humans have alligators for aunts and live near elk families, turtle twins, and an octopus professor.
And did Hercules Quick ever get the magic trick set he was saving for? I’ll never know.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, quirky, adorable story and illustrations. Lovely new chapter book for the very young.