Dexter the Tough

by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Mark Elliott (Illustrator)

I'm the new kid. I am tuf. This morning I beat up a kid.

It's only the first day of school for Dexter, but he's already mad at the principal, and the secretary, and the janitor, and the kids who laugh at him. When his teacher tells the class to write a story, Dexter writes about how tough he is -- and how he's already gotten into a fight. Is any of Dexter's story true? Why was the other boy crying before Dexter hit him? And why would the other boy still want to be Dexter's friend?

Even Dexter doesn't know the answers to some of those questions. But as he deals with family problems, a persistent teacher, and a boy who's strangely interested in floor wax, he discovers many surprises hidden in his own tale.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Friendship, School, Young Adult

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 23, 2007

About the author

Margaret Peterson Haddix grew up on a farm near Washington Court House, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University (of Ohio) with degrees in English/journalism, English/creative writing and history. Before her first book was published, she worked as a newspaper copy editor in Fort Wayne, Indiana; a newspaper reporter in Indianapolis; and a community college instructor and freelance writer in Danville, Illinois.

She has since written more than 25 books for kids and teens, including Running Out of Time; Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey; Leaving Fishers; Just Ella; Turnabout; Takeoffs and Landings; The Girl with 500 Middle Names; Because of Anya; Escape from Memory; Say What?; The House on the Gulf; Double Identity; Dexter the Tough; Uprising; Palace of Mirrors; Claim to Fame; the Shadow Children series; and the Missing series. She also wrote Into the Gauntlet, the tenth book in the 39 Clues series. Her books have been honored with New York Times bestseller status, the International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award; American Library Association Best Book and Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers notations; and more than a dozen state reader’s choice awards.


Haddix and her husband, Doug, now live in Columbus, Ohio, with their two children.

Reviews

[Gresham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read - 140 pages but with large print and several black and white illustrations. It's a book that would be accessible for all readers in my class - not a lot of difficult vocabulary, but it challenges the reader to think deeply about Dexter and his situation. Lots of great themes - especially about perspective. I also love the fact that Dexter's teacher encourages him to write, and the process of writing helps him better understand himself!

[LaShawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dexter the tough was a great book to read with my 3rd grade class. We had a lot of conversations around characters and their traits. We wrote along side Dexter and I could use his edits and drafting to share with my class to help them understand the writing process.

This book shows that good people can do bad things, but that doesn't make them a bad person. The story goes from bad to good as Dexters father goes through treatments and the hospital and Dexter deals with those emotions and making new friends.

This review was written with the help of said 3rd graders!

[Amy-Jo Conant · Rating 4 out of 5]

GRL - Q

School story about a boy who is sent to live with his grandmother. His father is undergoing cancer treatments and his mother is tending to him. Dexter is angry at his parents for leaving him. He struggles between acting out on his anger and then feeling guilty for doing so.

Great level Q book with strong themes to stand up to interesting discussions.

[Melissa Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of how a writing assignment helped a troubled boy deal with school challenges, family difficulties, and a friendship crisis. It provides an interesting perspective on the writing process, and I’d like to have my 4th-6th grade students read this book and write a similar assignment.

[Moe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something interesting about this story was that it was unique because it was Dexter's first day, the main character, and he's already mad at the principal, the secretary, and the janitor (and he beat up a kid on the first day). But when all the kids have to busily write a story for his teacher, Dexter had his own ideas. He wrote "I am tuf." The next day, his teacher brought him over and said, "You need to add more to this." He wrote back, "I beat up a kid this morning." With the help of a teacher who keeps persuading him to write more, Dexter eventually finds out who he beat up, and he learns more about his own tale than he though there even was. I learned that if you are forced to think about something more, it makes more sense.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

About a kid who has a lot of stuff bottled up inside. He hits somebody the first day of school - and after getting a story-writing assignment, writes about it. At first he tells the teacher that it didn't really happen, it's just a story...but as the story goes on, the teacher knows that it's not just a story, and thinks that maybe Dexter will feel better if he writes down what is bothering him. What happens to Dexter? And why does that kid he hit still want to be friends with him?

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars... Sweet Dexter isn't as tough as he thinks...although he does have it pretty tough at the moment. His dad is very sick and he's been shipped off to live with grandma while his mom takes care of his dad. Not to mention he has a rotten first day at his new school. But this school isn't as bad as it seems, and he has a great teacher who uses a writing project to reach him and help him figure things out. Quick read but I think many kids could really relate to Dexter.

[Madissen]

I didn't really like this book because it like they keep asking how or if Dexter is a bully and its like he beats up a kid its like what kind of book will this teach the kid who is reading this book so if you would like to read this book it is a level Q in reading or you could just get it at a store and when you read the book tell me how it was too you so I can learn how you thoght the book was compeard to mine.

[Julya 'Bentley' Gandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I start off every school year reading this with my fourth grade students. Not only is it a great way to discuss bullying and getting along with others, but also how we all come from different backgrounds and we don't always know what others are experiencing or hiding. I love how the character of Dexter slowly unfolds no the students begin to understand him more and more. Love this book!!

[Karen S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dexter's tough outer shell is hardened by his family's hardships. With starting a new school and living with his grandmother while his parents are focusing on a medical emergency only make Dexter more determined to be tough but in the wrong ways. This title would make a good book talk for 4th graders in a transient school setting especially at the beginning of the year.

[Traci Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good and fast reread. I saw that even kids have something going on with their life. It may even be big or small but definitely being kind and showing encouragement to them goes a long way.

[theStorykeeper · Rating 3 out of 5]

CW: cancer

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dexter is angry and believes he is "tuf" since he punched a kid on his first day at his new school. Dexter feels abandoned by his father who is ill with cancer, and by his mother who is living in another state to care for his father in a specialized hospital. Dexter didn't want to leave his home and his friends to live with his grandmother and attend a new school. But he has no say in his life anymore.

The fact that Dexter worries about the consequences of his behavior, and even feels guilty for his impulsive actions, shows readers that Dexter is not a bully. He's a child who faces life-altering situations without the benefit of the maturity and wisdom he needs to cope with those difficulties. This is realistic fiction at its best, containing the complexity of real life from the perspective of a child. Dexter is a multi-faceted protagonist who doesn't always make the best decisions, but manages to grow as a result of them.

Along the way, Dexter is assisted by the people in his new life. Ms. Abbott is an insightful teacher who nudges Dexter in the right direction without pushing him over the edge. She uses the writing process to help Dexter probe the quagmire of his feelings and come to some very important realizations. One of the very best children's chapter books I've read.

[NS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in a day. This was mostly contributed to by the fact that it's a short book. However, part of it was how good it was. Dexter is trying to figure out what it means to be tough. He tries to be "tough" to forget about his troubles at home. This book made my cry, and I mean that in the best possible way. This sparked my love for Margaret Peterson Haddix, and I started to be taken by her Among the Hidden books ( I didn't read the last two, it bugs me to this day.) Anyway, definitely give this book a read. It's worth it.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard anything about this book but I decided to read it when I discovered it in a LFL. Wow, what an interesting little story. I liked it. I liked how it built and built as Dexter worked on his story, and then by the end I knew what felt like the full story. But I also know, and this book does a smooth job of letting me know, there is still even more to the story. It does this in a satisfying way though, not in a leaves me hanging way. It is actually kind of sad though, but that's reality, right. And it leaves you with a lot of hope in the end.

[Jessica Slavensky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my 8 year old and had discussions with her throughout the book. A really great book that I feel would be appropriate for middle school aged children or kids going through a tough time (a parent or close family member whose sick). It shows a boy whose having a hard time controlling his emotions while his Dads going through a Bone Marrow transplant, because he feels alone with no friends, a new school, and no one but his Grandma, until he meets Robin.. definitely worth the read.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wholly recommend this book about friendship and grief and the way that not all people are as they appear...often they are more lovable than we imagine.

Also! Write your story, and then re-write it. You might learn more than your readers.

The cover of the book I read, a boy shown from an unusual angle, hurts me almost too much to look at it...the pain in his eyes. But through the story, the pain begins to heal, and hope knocks softly.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book and how it used writing as a tool to help a student recognize his emotions affected both his actions and his memory of what events took place on his first day in a new school.

I would use this book with 5th grade or 6th grade students. There are great themes and conversation starters here, if you journal with students.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read Among the Hidden, Dexter the Tough is a decidedly different tone and I wasn't sure what to expect. The story ends up being a touching, thoughtful look from the inside-out -- the inner workings of a bully, unlikely friendships, and understanding the hidden struggles of the people around us. This has the potential to be a solid option for a book unit or read-aloud.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m hoping I get to read this to a 4th or 5th grade class. It really shows how much hard stuff kids are going through and how anger is a way of hiding their really heavy feelings. You find out Dexter’s father has cancer, so make sure you know if that could trigger any students who have experienced this or other illness in their families.

[Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad bought this book for me, I am seldom entertained by books. At first, I was bored with this book after the second chapter, I was actually hooked. This is one of my favorites and the story is good. It was a really good book, I would recommend this one.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a nice book. I felt I was in it. At the middle, I thought as if it is scary but when I finished it I loved it. I courage you to read it.

[Changhoon Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about friends fighting and reconciling.
I really like this book about a book cover and picture

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story for my lower level readers.

[Brogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book but the ending was a little bit off

[Marla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Courtney Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Level O?
Great story for boys who have some trouble finding who they are when dealing with tough issues. Great for character study and social issues.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with some of my struggling readers. And the messages in the book were so relatable to my kids!

[Owen Lietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a good book but it leaves you on a cliffhanger about the dad

[Castalia84 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una bellissima storia adatta al gruppo di lettura 7-10 anni, ma va benissimo a qualsiasi età. Una divertente riflessione su come guardiamo il mondo che ci corconda e soprattutto noi stessi