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The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter

Book Resume

for The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter by Aaron Reynolds

Professional book information and credentials for The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter.

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  • Publisher's Weekly:
  • Ages 8 - 12
  • School Library Journal:
  • Grades 3 - 6
  • Booklist:
  • Grades 3 - 6
  • Kirkus:
  • Ages 8 - 12
  • TeachingBooks:*
  • Grades 3-8
  • Word Count:
  • 33,516
  • Lexile Level:
  • 560L
  • ATOS Reading Level:
  • 4.3
  • Genre:
  • Horror
  • Humor
  • Year Published:
  • 2020

The following 6 subject headings were determined by the U.S. Library of Congress and the Book Industry Study Group (BISAC) to reveal themes from the content of this book (The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter).

The following unabridged reviews are made available under license from their respective rights holders and publishers. Reviews may be used for educational purposes consistent with the fair use doctrine in your jurisdiction, and may not be reproduced or repurposed without permission from the rights holders.

Note: This section may include reviews for related titles (e.g., same author, series, or related edition).

From Publisher's Weekly

Starred review from April 20, 2020
When avid dog lover Rex Dexter, a sixth grader, begs for oneâ€""a chocolate Labrador. That's a proper pet"â€"for his birthday, he doesn't expect his parents to get him a chicken as a "practice pet." Nor does he expect said chicken to be promptly run over by a steamroller, shortly after Rex loses a carnival game called The Grim Reaper, one that promises a curse. Nor the chicken's ghost to turn up in his bedroom calling him "bestie." More ghosts appear: of the rhino that burned to death at the local zoo, of a dead gorilla with a shark attached to its rear. Rex has become a lightning rod for dead animals, and it's clear that something sinister is happening at the zoo. Now he, his spectral companions, and his best friend, Darvish, must get to the heart of the matter before further animals meet similarly dismal fates. In this entertainingly spooky romp, Reynolds (Dude!) tempers his morbid premise with the absurdity of Rex's situation, the ghostly entourage's distinct personalities, and a hilarious, simultaneously formal and sarcastic, narrative voice. Ages 8—12. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House.

From School Library Journal

April 1, 2020

Gr 3-6-Sixth-grader Rex Dexter desperately wants a dog, but his parents have deemed him too irresponsible. When he loses an old-fashioned Grim Reaper carnival game, he is cursed with the ability to see and communicate with dead animals who passed away with unfinished business. The first one he sees is his own pet chicken, which died moments before in a steamroller accident while Rex wasn't paying attention. Soon after, he starts seeing the ghosts of animals from a local zoo, all of whom died under strange circumstances. Rex must solve the mystery of who is killing off rare animals so that the victims can move on to the afterlife. And if he does, maybe he can convince his parents that he is responsible enough to own a dog, too. Hapless Rex follows in the footsteps of characters like Timmy Failure, who think they are much cleverer than they actually are. His hijinks will amuse those who enjoy slapstick humor just a little on the dark side. The mystery has a twist ending that will surprise and satisfy readers who thought they knew what was coming. VERDICT Purchase where funny books are popular-that's everywhere, right?-Misti Tidman, Mansfield/Richland County Public Library, OH

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Booklist

February 15, 2020
Grades 3-6 As the name of the town suggests, life in Middlington Falls is unremarkable. That is, until Rex Dexter tangles with a wish-granting grim reaper, in the form of a vintage arcade game. Unfortunately, Rex loses the game, and instead of walking away with a real live pet (please be a chocolate Lab!), he is cursed with the ability to see and speak to dead animals?including his rooster practice pet, which just got flattened in the parking lot. Narrating with unchecked confidence and sarcasm, Rex comes to understand that the incorporeal zoo animals now appearing in his bedroom?a charred rhino, a drowned gorilla, a squashed elephant, and a zapped panda?need his help to solve the mystery of their untimely deaths. Picture-book author Reynolds brings his knack for off-kilter comedy to his first novel in a gleefully entertaining fashion. While Rex recklessly leads with self-ascribed charm, he is balanced by his intelligent, good-natured friend Darvish. The zany animal cast adds to the fun of this series starter, perfect for fans of Stuart Gibbs' FunJungle mysteries.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

From Kirkus

January 15, 2020
Haunted by the ghosts of dead pets, a kid must right their wrongs. All sixth grader Rex wants is a "real-live" pet of his own--preferably a chocolate Labrador. Everyone he knows has a pet. His best friend, Darvish, a "pet hoarder," has four--maybe five. In answer to Rex's constant pleading, his parents give him a "practice pet": a chicken. One hour and 14 minutes after the chicken enters Rex's life, it becomes a real-dead pet. Things go from bad to worse when, after losing a mysterious carnival game called The Reaper's Curse he finds on the sidewalk, Rex can not only suddenly see the ghosts of dead animals, but speak to and understand them. The chicken--Drumstick--is the first of many to communicate with Rex. As a de facto animal "afterlife errand boy," can Rex help these ghosts rest in peace? Reynolds' new series debut is nonstop comedy, poking fun at everything from animal rights groups to the education system. Rex's first-person narration--heavily unreliable and hyperbolic--smartly utilizes direct address to implicate readers in the ridiculous plot. Though several jokes only just toe the line, one punny reference to "spirit animals" goes a bit too far. Most of the human characters are white by default; Darvish is Pakistani American. Laugh-out-loud ludicrousness. (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter was selected by educational and library professionals to be included on the following state/provincial reading lists.

United States Lists (7)

Florida

  • Sunshine State Young Readers Award, 2021-2022, Elementary School, Grades 3-5

Illinois

Indiana

Missouri

  • Mark Twain Readers Award, 2022-2023, Grades 4-6

Nebraska

  • Golden Sower Award, 2022-2023 -- Chapter Book, Grades 4-6

Texas

  • Bluebonnet Award Nominees, 2021-2022, for Grades 3-6

Aaron Reynolds on creating The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter:

This primary source recording with Aaron Reynolds was created to provide readers insights directly from the book's creator into the backstory and making of this book.

Listen to this recording on TeachingBooks

Citation: Reynolds, Aaron. "Meet-the-Author Recording | The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter." TeachingBooks, https://school.teachingbooks.net/bookResume/t/70102. Accessed 03 February, 2025.

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This Book Resume for The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter is compiled from TeachingBooks, a library of professional resources about children's and young adult books. This page may be shared for educational purposes and must include copyright information. Reviews are made available under license from their respective rights holders and publishers.

*Grade levels are determined by certified librarians utilizing editorial reviews and additional materials. Relevant age ranges vary depending on the learner, the setting, and the intended purpose of a book.

Retrieved from TeachingBooks on February 03, 2025. © 2001-2025 TeachingBooks.net, LLC. All rights reserved by rights holders.