Beagles and Books is honored to be part of the blog tour for It’s Show and Tell, Dexter! by Lindsay Ward which recently published in July 2018. Special thanks to Two Lions Publishing and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Summary
Dexter T. Rexter is going to school. But will anyone like him? Tomorrow is the biggest event ever in Dexter’s life: his best friend, Jack, is taking him to school for Show and Tell Day! Dexter has been getting ready for weeks. But now he’s a little nervous. What if the other kids don’t like him? So Dexter decides to come up with a plan. He’ll wear a costume. Dinosaurs in bunny ears look good, right? He’ll recite state capitals starting with…uh…ah…er. Then he realizes something. He can’t dance. He can’t recite things. He doesn’t have ANY skills. What’s a dino to do?
This comical, interactive tale of belonging, friendship, anticipation, and first-day-at-school jitters lets readers experience the excitement and nervousness along with Dexter—and even offer him a little advice along the way.
Review
Poor Dexter! In Don’t Forget, Dexter!, Dexter panicked when Jack left him in the doctor’s waiting room. Fortunately, Jack returned and Dexter was reunited with his best friend. In It’s Show and Tell, Dexter!, while Dexter is living every toy’s dream by being chosen as Jack’s Show and Tell, the dinosaur is showing his nerves once again.
With the first day of school fast approaching, children will easily be able to relate to Dexter’s anxiety. What I especially love is that Lindsay Ward wrote the text from Dexter’s point of view so he speaks directly to young readers or listeners. And no child will be able to contain his or her laughter as Dexter shares his costume ideas as a way of dealing with his apprehension. Children will also empathize with Dexter when he share his true fears that he can’t do something namely be the star of show and tell. Luckily for Dexter, he has the support of young readers reminding him that he doesn’t have to wear a costume or have a routine. He just needs to be himself because he is a pretty special dinosaur. I mean seriously who else can sing like him? What a good lesson to reinforce with children- take pride in yourself and your talents!
I look forward to sharing It’s Show and Tell, Dexter! with teachers as a read aloud for the first week of school. Get a sneak peek by watching this adorable book trailer!
Praise
“Ward’s gentle art features cut-paper forms with residual pencil outlines, providing an ad hoc quality to the spreads. Readers prone to anxiety over big events should be tickled that a toy has concerns too.” –Publishers Weekly
“Ward’s illustrations, made with printmaking ink, colored pencil, and cut paper, wonderfully capture Dexter’s every emotion and over-the-top ideas.” —Kirkus Reviews
Check out the fun coloring sheet here!
Giveaway
One lucky winner will receive a copy of both Dexter T. Rexter books–Don’t Forget Dexter! and It’s Show and Tell, Dexter!, courtesy of Two Lions (U.S. addresses). A winner will be chosen on August 29, 2018. Please click on the link below to enter.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/46a61dc03/?
Lindsay Ward is the author of the Dexter T. Rexter book Don’t Forget Dexter! Though she never got to bring an orange dinosaur to Show and Tell Day, she did once take all four albums of her sticker collection. She is also the author and illustrator of Brobarians, Henry Finds His Word, and When Blue Met Egg. Her book Please Bring Balloons was also made into a play.
Most days you can find Lindsay with her family, writing and sketching at her home in Peninsula, Ohio. Learn more about her at www.LindsayMWard.com or on Twitter: @lindsaymward.
Beagles & Books 
“How do you help children ease their anxiety about the first days of school?” I guess I’d tell them to think about other things!
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I let my kids pick out what they want to wear so they are comfortable.
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