Truly a beautiful story and liked the illustrations. Not going to lie, I didn't expect it to get a little dark with the accident and the dog losing a leg. I'd be okay reading this to my 7 year old, but not sure how my younger two would handle it.

I recently had the joy of reading Dexter: The Stand Up Dog with my cousin, and we were both completely captivated by it. The story is heartwarming, funny, and unexpectedly grounded in reality, offering a refreshing take on pet ownership that balances charm with honesty. My cousin adored Dexter’s unique personality and the beautifully illustrated pages that brought his story to life.

Bonnie Kelso’s illustrations are expressive and engaging, perfectly complementing the story co-written with Kentee Pasek. Together, they’ve created a book that not only entertains but also gently encourages readers to embrace differences and appreciate the quirks that make pets — and people — special.

Dexter is more than just a cute dog story. It’s a celebration of resilience, uniqueness, and standing tall in the face of life’s challenges. Highly recommended for children, families, and any dog lover looking for a story with heart and meaning

This children’s book is based on the true story of Dexter, who became a social media sensation and an inspirational canine companion. In this story, Dexter was rescued by a loving family and loved playing with toys and running around. One day, a very tragic accident happens and Dexter must learn to overcome his challenges.

One thing that this book would benefit from is either moving some of the font to background that are easier to read dark text or changing the text to a lighter color. There were several pages that were hard to read due to font color.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gnome Road Publishing for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

An adorable and emotional story perfect for kids and dog lovers. The illustrations were wonderful. I had never heard of Dexter before this but looked him up afterwards. He’s so cute!

This was such a cute short story about a dog overcoming loosing his leg in an accident and how he persevered on being able to do the things he loves to do. It shows the reality of what can happen to a poor dog that gets into an accident, but also shows that with nuture and love, they too can also overcome their disability like we humans can.

Its inspiring and beautiful. and the drawings are absolutely adorable!

One small fix is maybe using a different color font for some of the dialogue, as white letters on the light blue and light grey parts of the background are a bit harder to see.

An adorable children’s book for dog lovers with incredible illustrations! Would definitely buy.

Thank you to the authors, Gnome Road Pub, and NetGalley for the e-galley!

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝔻𝕖𝕩𝕥𝕖𝕣
𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆: 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗼 & 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗸
𝗜𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆: 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗼

This is an emotional and rather inspirational story about a dog and his family. I like that it shows Dexter’s resilience in the face of adversity as he learns to maneuver around without using front legs.

I love that this book hits on pet adoption, a special needs dog, and the love between a dog and his family. The fact that it is a true story makes it even more heartwarming.

I feel illustrations either add to the story or take away from it. Kelso’s artwork is visually appealing in terms of the colors used and the overall look. They definitely add to the story!

This story is short and sweet.

This is my first time reading about Dexter the stand up dog and I knew it would be a cute story the kids would love. This picture book was an easy read for the two kids ages 8-10 year old. The 6 y/o had some trouble with a few words and the alliteration. The kids had some emotion with the story, having how Dexter became a stand up dog made them sad but was also a lesson on needing to pay attention to the household dog. The kids also explained that this was a story that told you not to give up. What we loved about this book the most is that because it is based on a true story and a real dog we read the book and then together watched videos of Dexter. It really gave life to the story in a way regular picture books don't afford.

'Dexter' is about our titular dog who gets into a horrible accident, which makes him lose one of his legs. This lil doggie then does the most surprising thing: he starts to learn how to walk like a person! Honestly I've got no qualms on this book! It's a cute story that tackles with disability and how to cope with one, and it shows us how even with said disability, we can still overcome anything,

This is such a sweet and inspiring story! The illustrations were also lovely. Dexter's story will definitely warm the hearts of everyone who reads it.

Very well done. I like how the beginning of the story set the stage to describe Dexter's personality. The pages of illustrations without words adds to the anticipation. What a delight.

This book, I feel, is a great inspiration to many. People that are adopting animals with handicaps, people whose animals have to have a limb removed, people who are or become handicapped themselves, and people who have loved ones with the same. This dog was very courageous and his family very supportive. This will be one that I will have in my home and I will encourage our library to get as well!!

This was such a cute book and a really great way of depicting something that had sadness with joy. I would definitely recommend this for children and love Dexter. The illustrations were really well done and I appreciated seeing the artwork. I do wish it had been just a little longer and had more at the end to showcase how important it is to be resiliant, but otherwise it was a really great book.

This was a fantastic and refreshing read. I had never heard of Dexter before picking up this book, but I’m so glad I did. I read it with my 7-year-old daughter, and it quickly became a memorable experience for both of us.

So many children’s books these days are filled with rainbows, unicorns, and silly fun, which absolutely have their place, but there’s a real lack of heartfelt, true stories for this age group. Dexter fills that gap beautifully.

My daughter is very emotionally attuned, and midway through the story she was devastated. I had to gently encourage her to keep going. She ended up falling completely in love with Dexter. The moment she realized he was a real dog, the story became even more magical. After finishing the book, we talked about the themes and what she took away from Dexter’s journey. Then we looked up Dexter’s Instagram and watched some of his videos together, pure joy!

She was so moved that she showed her older brothers the videos, and now they follow Dexter too. Later that evening, she recapped the entire story at the dinner table with her dad and brothers. Any book that can spark that kind of excitement and connection in a child, and even bring in the whole family, is a win in my eyes. Dexter’s story is inspiring and uplifting for all ages, and I can’t wait to recommend this to friends, teachers, and fellow parents.

This is a story with a cute dog, that managed to overcome a disability.

Thank you Gnome Road Publishing for the ARC.,

I would recommend this book for kids between 3-6 years old.
There is a sad part when the dog get;s hurt, but the accident is not graphic.

The only small issue is that on some paged the text is not visible enough as the background is too dark.

I am an elementary school teacher and was viewing this in the lens of reading it to my class. I think the overall message is wonderful and perfect for what we are trying to teach kids. The only concern I have is that the story got a little dark when the dog got hit by a car. I know there would be students who are scared and very upset by that part. I think if the didn’t show the car or we didn’t know exactly what happened to the dog, it would be less scary for them. Overall enjoyed the book and the illustrations were beautiful.

This is a cute story based on a real dog, Dexter. It is a very simplified version that covers a long time span in a very short book. I think the book could benefit from more details, however I do think young readers would still enjoy it. I'd recommended the book for kids 6 and under. One issue for me was the colors of the text in relation to the background on the pages. The black text was difficult to read on the darker colored pages and it would have been much better to use white text on those pages. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to review an ARC of this children's book.

I read this with my son, and he really enjoyed it. He gave it a 4.25 out of 5. He especially loved how the character overcame his disabilities and found a way to walk on two legs. I thought the story was very sweet, and I really liked the illustrations.

My son rated it slightly lower because he wished the story had been a little longer.

Overall, this is a wonderful children's book and would make a great addition to any library. Dexter taught us many valuable life lessons.

Dexter is one of the most inspiring picture book stories I have read this year! Although Dexter has faced hardships, he did not let these challenges dictate what he could or could not do. This real-life story of adversity will live on through readers for years to come. Dexter is amazing! Highly recommend!

This is a heartwarming story based on a real life dog named Dexter, who walks upright. His journey is one of perseverance and determination, reminding us that challenges can be met with a positive attitude and a can-do spirit.
With charming illustrations and an inspiring message, this book is perfect for young and old alike. This is the kind of book that will make you want to hug your pet and give them that little extra bit of love afterwards.