Narwhal I'm Around

by Aaron Reynolds

Overview

This wet, wild, and hilariously illustrated story from a New York Times bestselling author takes readers on a wacky adventure that spirals out of control as soon as our pet hero discovers a narwhal hanging out in his bedroom.

Rex Dexter is cursed . . . with brains . . . and daring . . . and more than his fair share of devilish good looks. But also with an actual curse: dead animals keep showing up in his bedroom, wanting him to solve their murders.

After successfully sleuthing a series of endangered animal assassinations, Rex is pretty sure he's home free, spiritually speaking. But that's when he finds a two thousand pound narwhal in his beanbag chair. And this tough guy is dead. And super crabby about it.

Fishy business is at hand. And as if that's not bad enough, Rex's mom has a stressful new job. His new teacher may be part of a Russian hit squad. His best friend Darvish is distracted by a role-playing game. And, horror of horrors, Rex may accidentally have a girlfriend.

Rex Dexter is neck-deep in dead pet problems. And he's determined to solve them. Or let his best friend Darvish die trying.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780759555235
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	05/04/2021
Series:	The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter , #2
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	231,029
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Aaron Reynolds is a New York Times bestselling author and has written many highly acclaimed books for kids, including DUDE!, Creepy Pair of Underwear, Caveboy Dave, and the Caldecott Honor-winning Creepy Carrots. Aaron lives in Chicago with his wife, two kids, four cats, and anywhere between zero and ten goldfish, depending on the day.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter:

* "In this entertainingly spooky romp, Reynolds 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."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"The mystery has a twist ending that will surprise and satisfy readers who thought they knew what was coming....Purchase where funny books are popular—that's everywhere, right?"—School Library Journal

"Picture-book author Reynolds brings his knack for off-kilter comedy to his first novel in a gleefully entertaining fashion."—Booklist

"Reynolds' new series debut is nonstop comedy."—Kirkus

"Reynolds is bound to attract fans drawn to overconfident Rex and whatever challenge the Grim Reaper cares to deal him."—BCCB

From the Publisher

2021-03-16
An animal ghost seeks closure after enduring aquatic atrocities.

In this sequel to The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter (2020), sixth grader Rex is determined to once again use his ability to communicate with dead animals for the greater good. A ghost narwhal’s visit gives Rex his next opportunity in the form of the clue “bad water.” Rex enlists Darvish—his Pakistani American human best friend—and Drumstick—his “faithful (dead) chicken”—to help crack the case. But the mystery is only one of Rex’s many roadblocks. For starters, Sami Mulpepper hugged him at a dance, and now she’s his “accidental girlfriend.” Even worse, Darvish develops one of what Rex calls “Game Preoccupation Disorders” over role-playing game Monsters & Mayhem that may well threaten the pair’s friendship. Will Rex become “a Sherlock without a Watson,” or can the two make amends in time to solve the mystery? This second outing effectively carries the “ghost-mist” torch from its predecessor without feeling too much like a formulaic carbon copy. Spouting terms like plausible deniability and in flagrante delicto, Rex makes for a hilariously bombastic (if unlikable) first-person narrator. The over-the-top style is contagious, and black-and-white illustrations throughout add cartoony punchlines to various scenes. Unfortunately, scenes in which humor comes at the expense of those with less status are downright cringeworthy, as when Rex, who reads as White, riffs on the impossibility of his ever pronouncing Darvish’s surname or he plays dumb by staring into space and drooling.

Funny delivery, but some jokes really miss the mark. (Paranormal mystery. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews