This picture book presents the story of a child, Hercules, who helps a baby dragon to return to his home. The book is aimed to make children move (jump, roll, etc.) as required by the story, hence it is a kind of interactive reading. The book opens by depicting Hercules leaning against a classical pillar and declaring, “I’m heroic Hercules. I save people. Whenever there is danger in town I’m called upon to help”. The danger in this case turns out to be a baby dragon who is eating the mayor of the town’s garden, and who needs to be returned to Patagonia. In order to accomplish this, Hercules goes to his friend, Delightful Da Vinci, who lends him his “Flying Wonder Machine” with which to take the dragon home. Mission accomplished, Hercules returns home.

The book is written for toddlers and therefore Hercules is also presented as very young yet heroic figure; as children often do, he presents himself as “heroic Hercules”. There is nothing in the plot that refers to ancient Greece or Hercules’ mythological adventures, apart from his name and appearance, since he wears a laurel crown, sandals and a chiton top above his shorts. 

It seems as if Hercules was chosen as the titular character because he is known for his strength and his reputation for helping people to fight monsters (although in this story he also helps the dragon and does not kill it). Hercules’ reception, and reputation, are so strong and common that just mentioning his name is enough to convey his persona and all that relates to it (strength) to a story, even if his actual tale is not mentioned. The name of Hercules, it seems, is wide-known and thus could relate to many fictional stories as well; his name has became almost separated from his ancient Greek origin and therefore can stand on its own as a symbol of strength and courage. This fanciful short tale thus presents a somewhat incoherent and bewildering mix of diverse traditions; Da Vinci, dragons, ancient Greece and South America (Patagonia) are randomly incorporated in a tale that has some mild elements of humour, and features a Hercules heroic in name only.