An inspiring and heartwarming read for all ages!

Dexter is a sweet and uplifting story that beautifully showcases perseverance, determination, and triumph in the face of adversity. This book holds a special place in our hearts, especially as our own dog recently broke her leg and spent eight weeks in a cone. Watching her grow stronger each day, surrounded by love and care, mirrored Dexter’s journey in such a meaningful way.

The book does a wonderful job illustrating the power of love and support, making it both relatable and inspiring for children and families alike. The illustrations are adorable, and the message is powerful—reminding us that even when life throws us challenges, we can come out stronger.

This story is a must-have for every child’s bookshelf. Heartwarming, encouraging, and full of charm—Dexter is a gentle reminder that resilience and love go hand in paw. 🐾💛

Author/illustrator Kelso tells the true story of her dog Dexter, who was injured after being hit by a car and went on to become an internet sensation after his courage touched and inspired millions. Sparse but heartfelt prose and simplistic vocabulary appeals to the youngest audience, Ideal for group storytelling with a focus on inclusion.
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I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to share with my students. Dexter's story is inspirational and sweet. So many great lessons in this story for everyone. The illustrations are also so good. Dexter is adorable and you can really see his emotions in the illustrations.

Very cute story. Seemed to be a bit all over the place . Also it was tricky to read some of the text as the text matched the backround it was on. The packing was wonderful for a children’s book and the illustrations were cute.

This is a great read. Dexter is adorable. I just wanted to hug him. I absolutely love his determination. He shows that no matter what happens, if you are really focused to achieve something, it can happen.

Dexter is so inspiring. I love that he did not let what happened to him get him down. He just adapted to his new lifestyle and moved on. To be honest, this is the first time I have heard about Dexter. Yet, after reading this book, I quickly searched Dexter.

Fans of Dexter or dog lovers like me will love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gnome Road Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I was excited to find one of the Camp NetGalley books was about a dog that showed his resiliency after a leg injury. Not only is Dexter a great story to get young kids thinking about how they can work through a challenge or uniqueness in themselves that may set them apart (of which kids never seem to be kind to one another) and make it something that enhances their specialness, but this was close to my heart after my Snuggles had broken his leg as a puppy. The vet assured me that dogs learn to adapt to anything if he were to lose his leg (he didn’t and we have some memories of makeshift cast coverings, signing his cast; and much like Dexter the hopping around to walk), and I had some tears reading about Dexter doing just that.

While I wish all our little furry friends an easy life, I loved the message and illustrations with this story. A cute book that is meaningful and easy to digest for children.

3 stars

(thanks to netgalley for the arc )
( published september 26 2025)

so i mainly chose this as I wanted to get the camp netgalley badge (yayyyyy)but I was low-key surprised how much I liked it a quick 40 page childrens book with some great illustrations and I love the story of dexter
and I love the fact its based on a true story !!!
I love how the owner turned something bad into a great thing

3 stars

(thanks to netgalley for the arc )
( published september 26 2025)

so i mainly chose this as I wanted to get the camp netgalley badge (yayyyyy)but I was low-key surprised how much I liked it a quick 40 page childrens book with some great illustrations and I love the story of dexter
and I love the fact its based on a true story !!!
I love how the owner turned something bad into a great thing

This is so sweet!! A quick read that’s fun & cute!

I didn’t realize it’s based on a true story at first (grabbed it for NG camp week) and the dog being hit by a car made me so sad!!

Glad the real Dexter had a great recovery and is doing so well!

My niece loved reading about Dexter! The illustrations were amazingly done! It was easy for her to read and she very much enjoyed it!

I’m a sucker for any dog related children’s book and this one didn’t disappoint! Love that it’s a true story!

My only complaint was that in certain areas it was really hard to read the text over the dark background but that could be less of an issue in a physical book than an ebook.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook!

Little Dexter is adorable! He’s fun, happy, brave and most of all determined. Despite his struggles he was able to figure out how to live without one of his legs. Dexter shows strength and proves to not let having 3 legs define him.

Thank you Gnome Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in trade for an honest review.

I had never heard of Dexter or his story, but the cover caught my eye. This is a very sweet children's book with cute illustrations, but it could be potentially triggering and scary for younger readers. The illustrations depicting the accident and the immediate aftermath aren't graphic (ie: Dexter standing in the street, a car and the word "screech", a masked veterinarian holding his paw, Dexter wearing a cone and cast, etc). I liked that the focus and message of the book was about Dexter's resilience, perseverance, and adapting to change, Definitely an inspiring story and book!

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

This was a simply told, heart-warming story about a dog named Dexter who overcomes adversity to accomplish a goal. It is based on a true story, and it brought a smile to my face as I was reading.

There were a few disjointed moments in the flow of the story, but overall it was easy to follow. This feel good tale should delight young readers who have a fondness for pups.

This was such a cute children’s book! The story about Dexter was so moving and I had never come across him before so I went and checked him out on social media and he is such a little trooper after everything he has been through!! What a beautiful story and wonderful illustrations throughout.

I'm not familiar with the true story behind "Dexter" but a story about dog adoption and physical therapy will be great to expose children who have a dog already or children who want to have a dog. it packs a lot of information and emotion into such a short book that is sure to make a child smile.

Well I did not expect this book to make me cry!! What a moving story!!! Dexter is a true joy and is a great story about fighting for what makes you happy, overcoming life obstacles and bringing joy everywhere you roam!

3.25 stars

The story is sweet. Sometimes the text feels disjointed. Some lines feel like they are supposed to be a rhyme, but then sharply jump to plain text. I didn't get a flow. Additionally, some of the text was hard to read when it matched the color of the illustration.

This is such a cute and inspirational story with cute illustrations. I love when a story is based on real life.

I am an animal lover and was drawn to this book about a special needs dog. Such a cute children's book and I love hearing that it is based off a true story. Dexter, a young pup has an accident resulting in the loss of a front leg and the other is left weakened. Dexter amazingly adapts to his situation and learns to walk upright on his hind two legs. He lives a life happily having adjusted to his new way of life, with a loving family.

I think this story is so important in not only explaining that differences are ok, but to show that humans and animals can learn to thrive in a not so ideal environment. My parents have a dog that developed epilepsy, and I think about this story when I think about their dog Max. Many people would have put him down, but my parents care for his situation, and he is generally a very happy and loved dog in a happy home. I think this book and the lessons it teaches will not only resonate with kids, but with parents as well. Very cute.