I tend to live under an internet rock so I've never heard of Dexter the Stand Up Dog, but the story was cute and showed how even in real life you can overcome bad things that happen.
The illustrations of Dexter were the best of the illustrations, I wasn't a fan of how the people were illustrated but the colors and flow of the illustrations on the page were engaging.

This is an absolutely charming little book! It is a true story about a dog (spaniel type) named Dexter. We see Dexter when he is a little puppy - and he grows a little, and then a family adopts him. He races all over the house because it's fun - and because he can. Even though he is scattering papers and strewing laundry around, his family doesn't mind and he has great fun.
But one day he somehow escaped from the house and jumped over the fence. Nobody had told him about cars...
Read to find out what happened to Dexter - and how that can relate to kids.

This was such a cute story that turned out well for everyone. I don’t remember hearing about Dexter's videos so now I'll have to look them up. My 2nd grade students love animals and and true stories. I think they would love hearing this one.

Based on a true story, Dexter is a dog to love with his inspiration and happy disposition. It’s eye-catching with beautiful illustrations and a meaningful message. It follows from the days when Dexter was a young ambitious puppy to how he turned heads later walking on his hind legs.

I’m a dog lover always seeking children’s books for family members. This story is one that hits all the right marks -- to be read and enjoyed over and over again. Recommended reading ages: 6 to 8 years old.

My thanks to Gnome Road Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of September 16, 2025.

I picked Dexter because the dog, but didn’t know it was based on a true story. I thought the story was good in telling how Dexter overcame obstacles. I did feel it would be more for children who are 7 or at least have an understanding that sometimes bad things happen. The font was too dark for some pages and I struggled to see what it said.

So many lessons can be learned from the book Dexter: The Stand Up Dog by co-authors Bonnie Kelso and Kentee Pasek. After an unfortunate accident, Dexter chose to find a way to still do the things that he loved but this time in a different way. The story of Dexter is filled with hope and inspiration of how as long as you are determined, and set your mind to something. with hard work you can make it happen! What a sweet true story of a furry friend that shares that with a strong will, overcoming challenges and obstacles is possible!

Thank you to #GnomePublishing and #NetGalley for the chance to read an advanced copy of #DexterDogOuray and participate in 2025's #CampNetGalley.

I used to volunteer in a rescue where we took in all pets who needed help, including pets who'd lost limbs and had other health problems. This story was a surprise to me because I didn't know about this famous dog! When our rescue pets had problems, they always adapted so they could keep enjoying life, and that's exactly what Dexter did! After I read this I looked up videos of Dexter online to show my family, and he looks so cute and happy.

I hadn’t heard of the dog Dexter before, so this story was a great introduction. It’s a lovely story about overcoming challenges in an unconventional way. And the artwork is very nice as well. Kids who love dogs will certainly enjoy this book.

**Book Review: *Dexter: The Stand-Up Dog***

Based on the real-life story of the internet-famous pup, *Dexter: The Stand-Up Dog* tells the heartwarming tale of a dog who doesn’t let adversity slow him down. After losing the use of his front legs, Dexter learns to walk upright, defying expectations and inspiring everyone around him. The illustrations are warm and charming, and the message of resilience and love is clear and uplifting — especially for younger readers.

However, like many books built around viral internet stars, the story sometimes feels more like a celebration of fame than a fully fleshed-out narrative. While Dexter’s journey is undeniably moving, the book leans heavily on the novelty of his real-life stardom, which may leave some readers wishing for deeper storytelling or more emotional nuance.

Still, for dog lovers and fans of feel-good stories, *Dexter* is an inspiring read with a powerful reminder: with love and determination, even the unthinkable can become possible.

I wanted to review this book because I used to have a dog with special needs and so I know first hand the amazing feats that dogs can accomplish when pushed to their limits. The artwork in this book does such a good job at reflecting the cuteness of Dexter and still showing how amazing he was. The images are friendly, colorful, fun, and perfect for children to look at when reading this book.

The text overall tells a very cute story, keeping details basic, yet extremely entertaining and compelling. The story follows Dexter and how he came to come home to his family, the accident that cost him so much, and how he overcame his disability to get what he wanted and ended up becoming famous along the way!

The story is so cute and I would definitely buy this book to share with my children. I think it's a great example of how you (or pets) can do anything you set your mind to if you work hard enough and you can overcome any hurdle in your way.

I read this to my kids whose grandparents had a Brittney Spaniel and I had no idea this was based on a true story! My kids loved it and when we finished, we started looking at the true story and it is a great teaching moment for my kids too. This book was sweet and the illustrations were cute. I would definitely buy not just for dog lovers, but kids in general because of the message of trying over and over, to not give up.

The cutest children's book that shows perseverance and strength. That even when things are hard, there is always a way to get where you are going.

The illustrations were perfect to for the story, Bonnie Kelso and Kentee Pasek did a beautiful job.

I received an advance review copy audio version. Thank you to NetGalley and Gnome Road Publishing, for the opportunity to read this book.

This was, overall, a very sweet story about resilience and overcoming adversity told by way of a dog whose front leg was amputated after being hit by a car. While I think the message was good, the book as a whole was fairly middle-of-the-road for me. I do think the subject matter could be a little upsetting for some children if they’re particularly sensitive about animals being hurt.

Dexter the Stand Up Dog is a cute story about a dog who, after an accident, is injured and ends up losing one of his front legs. Instead of just accepting that he is unable to do things that he used to be able to do, this resilient and determined dog teaches himself to walk on his hind legs like a human, and in the process, becomes a source of joy and motivation during a challenging time in the world. Very sweet story with a great message to never give up, despite the circumstances. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

I downloaded this book for Camp NetGalley. Very cute book overall, would be great if you have a young child and need to explain a limb difference in a dog. Some of the text was not readable at all on screen where it was dark text on a dark background, this included the bios at the end of the two people.

This was a cute story but I wish there was a little more adventure in it. I read it to my son and he wasn’t to most thrilled with it. Overall it was cute but probably wouldn’t become a favorite in our house.

I chose this book to review because I am a huge animal and dog person and thought Dexter was super cute. While I did enjoy the story in the book and that it could give a good message about facing challenges and overcoming them, I honestly thought the material was a little mature for at least young kids. Maybe just because I loved animals so much when I was younger, reading about a dog getting hit by a car would have made me upset. I also thought it was an interesting touch to add the staying home portion and show that’s how he became famous.
Overall and cute story other than the deeper material.
Thanks for letting me have an e-Arc!

I don’t review many children’s books, but I grabbed this one because I follow and adore Dexter (he’s the same breed as my childhood dog, Brittany’s are best!) and because I’ve been reading a million books to my 3 year old nephew lately.

I think he’d love most of the book. The story is easy to follow with themes of family and belonging, and the illustrations are colorful and realistic. Definitely high production value!

The only thing that gives me hesitation is the page where Dexters accident occurs. The injury isn’t shown and the story is really well done around this section especially, but the actual page has a giant car shown from the perspective of a dog close to the ground. As a pretty sensitive kid, I think it would frighten him. It’s not so bad that I wouldn’t give it a shot, but I would probably try to get past that page quickly.

Overall, great pick for animal lovers and maybe a slightly older subset of picture book readers!

This is a cute, heartwarming true story about a dog who is injured and learns to walk on two legs. The words and illustrations seem a bit amateurish, but kids will enjoy the action illustrations of Dexter zooming around his home.

What a charming and inspiring story about Dexter, a darling dog who was injured when hit by a car. He lost one leg and another was so badly hurt that he couldn't use it to walk. Tired of being constrained by a two-wheel contraption designed to help him walk, he learned to walk upright on his back two legs. Amazing! And became an internet sensation beloved by all. I adore this book and so will readers 6-8 years. Highly recommended!