Dexter is the inspirational story of an adopted puppy who has an unfortunate accident causing the loss of one of his front legs. While the story touches on difficult circumstances, Dexter's resilience and determination are inspiring for readers of all ages.

The illustrations are beautiful and the story is very well done. Dexter's story touched my heart, and, as an aunt, I look forward to sharing this story with my nephews. Dexter's determination to not give up after his accident is a strong message for young readers and one that deserves to be shared.

Thank you Netgalley, Bonnie Kelso, and Kentee Pasek for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book - cute story of a pup relearning how to navigate his new life and making people around him happy. 🐾

What a sweet story about a determined doggo. I will be buying this, for my great niece. You can do anything you try to do. Warm fuzzy book. Thank you to Netgalley for the early read.

I love Dexter! Found him during Covid and have loved his videos so much, getting to read his story to my kids was such fun. I loved how he was portrayed in the story, his determination and joy. The illustration was cute and colourful.

Dexter by Bonnie Kelso is an uplifting picture book that tells the true story of a Brittany Spaniel who lost the use of his front legs after an accident. Through determination and courage, Dexter learns to walk again—this time on two legs! Perfect for inspiring hope and resilience in young readers, it's also a comforting read-aloud for any child coping with a pet's injury or illness.

Oh my kids and I have absolutely loved reading about Dexter and his story! We are big time dog lovers and know a dog personally who had a similar life changing accident happen to him. Dexter took what could have been a horribly sad experience and turned it into a wonderful inspirational story. Way to turn a frown upside down!

The story is very well written and it was easy for my small kids to read with me. The pictures are bright and vibrant and very engaging while reading. We love Dexter and will be adding this book into our regular rotation.

Dexter tells the story of an adopted dog who gets hit by a car which results in a limb amputation. I don't know that this is a bedtime story, but it's a great resource if you want to talk to your kids about injuries or disabilities both in people or pets. I think it could spark good discussions on how we can overcome difficult times and be there to support our loved ones through it. The illustrations are really cute, and I liked the font choice.

A charming story of Dexter, a puppy who lost use of his front legs and learned to overcome. A great little book about overcoming obstacles, very appropriate for younger readers. The illustrations are perfect for the subject matter. I hadn't heard of Dexter's online fame before reading; the book is a great companion to his internet presence. Simple and heartwarming.

Thanks to Bonnie Kelso, Kentee Pasek, Gnome Road Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The children's book “Dexter” by Bonnie Kelso and Kentee Pasek follows the story of the dog Dexter that loses his leg through an accident and has to learn to walk again.

This was a short and sweet story that would wonderfully be suited for young children in my opinion. It explores the responsibility of caring for a pet and shows that you can overcome adversity.

My favorite aspect of this novel was that it is inspired by true events. Seeing pictures of the real “Dexter” was great!

Overall this was a solid read for children with cute illustrations and heart.

A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Gnome Road Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Bonnie Kelso, Kentee Pasek, and Gnome Road Publishing. I was given this book as an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I don’t typically gravitate toward children’s books. However, I was visiting family and happened to spot this ARC while scrolling a few days ago. It felt like perfect timing, especially with my 6 year old nephew (a big dog lover) nearby. He was completely drawn in by Dexter’s story and the adorable illustrations. Honestly, even if I hadn’t read it to him, he probably could’ve followed along just by looking at the pictures. They are well drawn and expressive. The heart of this book really shines through. The message about having determination and not letting a bad situation define you was empowering, especially for young readers. It gave us a lovely moment to talk about never giving up.

My only small critique is that the text was occasionally hard to read due to the dark background and dark text color.

I have not shared this review on social media yet but will soon.

What a cute story! This is a true story of Dexter, the three legged dog. He was a four legged dog until he escaped and was hit by a car (the pictures are not graphic at all and are fine for even the youngest readers). He survived but ended up losing a leg. However, he was determined to continue to run and climb stairs like he used to. Dexter learned to walk on his hind legs and impressed humans everywhere. The book touches on COVID - how everyone had to stay home and people watched videos of Dexter during this time. It may require some explaining to little ones, but the story is very cute and talks about determination, of a very cute dog. Included are pictures at the end of real life Dexter!

Many thanks to Gnome Road Publishing, Bonnie Kelso and Kentee Pasek, and NetGalley for the ARC of Dexter in exchange for an honest review.

What a heartwarming story of making lemonade with lemons in a way children can grasp and draw strength with various differences they might have with their peers, whether physical or emotional. Dexter shows that sometimes unexpected detours happen in life and they can have a negative impact on our life, but if we just change our view and keep our determination, we can shine happiness in our own lives and those of others around us and even around the world. This book is set in current times with the aspect of social media being used in a way to share positive stories, another important lesson that can be gathered from this book as well.

As a professional working in rehabilitation, this would be an amazing addition to waiting rooms of all kinds for children who are there for their own appointments or having to tag along to those of loved ones. A great storyline, great illustrations with flow and details without overwhelming amount of details that take away from the storyline.

It's very rare that I venture outside of my normal sci-fi/romance/paranormal genres but when I do, I am invariably pleased that I did so. Dexter: the Stand Up Dog is one of those choices. This story is a warm hug of a picture book with a few sentences on most pages to expand the story. But it's the pictures that really convey the message. Dexter starts out as a puppy - very high energy, lots of snuggles and warmth and "zoomies" around the house. Crazy accidents and lots of near misses which are par for the course with any young animal or even a child. And when an outside getaway leads to a more serious incident, both Dexter and his family of humans are stopped short by the new reality of his physicality. Dexter doesn't let this keep him down and with practice and patience, he finds a new way of moving and proving that you can't keep a good pup down.
My only negative about this otherwise delightful little story is that there are several pages where the printing (black) is on a dark background (black, grey, blue, and green) which makes it very challenging to read.
I appreciated the light touch for the message: staying positive even in the face of challenges is how we heal and move forward. Dwelling on the past, the negative, does no-one any good.

What a fun little book that turns hard times and tragedy into a life lesson of never giving up and always pushing forward.

When Dexter gets overambitious and has an accident causing his life to change forever, he pursues and never gives up. Even in the harder, darker days when everyone had to stay home- he was a light in the darkness, helping to put smiles on everyone's faces. I enjoyed this children's book as it is, a children's book- but it also had so much more to it. The deeper concepts of life are right there within the pages, The authors did such a fantastic job not making this book a sad book, but giving hope to everyone who reads it. You can do hard things! No matter what, don't let giving up be an option.

A+ for the writing and A+ for the illustrations! They were both so amazing and creative. I enjoyed getting to know Dexter through each page.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and place an honest review for it.

Dexter is the story of a determined pup learning to overcome losing a limb so that he can still be a puppy.

The story is heart-warming. The illustrations are adorable.

This is the perfect book to give to children who need to see that we can overcome obstacles. It will be a great addition to my elementary library, and I would recommend it for both elementary and public libraries.

As it is nonfiction, I would encourage librarians to display the book because otherwise it may get overlooked.

Thank you Net Galley and Gnome Road Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a cute story about Dexter, a dog that learned how to walk on his back two legs after losing one in an accident. The story is told for young readers to understand that anything is possible, even for a dog with only three legs. I loved the illustrations and the story of Dexter's life.

The message is a positive one for everyone who reads this book. Dexter spread sunshine wherever he went, bringing joy to those who interacted with him.

A great story to read to younger children, reinforcing that there is always an answer to a problem, you just have to look for it.

This was such a cute read! My 2.5-year-old loved it and stayed engaged the whole time—definitely a hit in our house. While I’d say it’s probably best suited for ages 3–5 in terms of content and themes, my toddler was able to follow along easily and even asked for more when we finished.

The illustrations are absolutely adorable, and the pacing felt perfect for a younger audience. I was pleasantly surprised to realize I’d actually seen Dexter on social media before—such a sweet moment when that clicked while reading! What a lovable dog and a heartwarming story.

This sweet enduring story is a must read for children and adults. Dexter finds himself a loving family who appreciate his puppy energy. One day, Dexter jumps the family's fence and Dexter is critically injured. The dog must learn to navigate life without a limb. His determination earns him respect from others, especially during the pandemic. I highly recommend this book for children to process pets' injuries and pandemic frustration.

Thank you #NetGalley, #BonnieKelso, #KenteePasek, and #GnomeRoadPublishing for my ARC; this review is my honest opinion.

‘Based on the true story of this social media sensation and courageous canine companion, Dexter: the Stand Up Dog is an inspirational picture book that highlights the contagious power of love, hope, resilience, and determination.’

Such a sweet little read about resilience and triumph following a frightening puppy incident. My granddaughter had me read it to her several times.

Thank you Gnome Road Publishing!

Pub: 9.16.2025.

Dexter brings joy to everyone he meets and this book certainly brought a smile to my face. A true example of perseverance! A story every dog lover is going to cherish!