I have always been an avid reader. Now that I have two little ones, I spend most of my reading time reading children’s books aloud to my daughter and son. However, I still try to read a few books for myself a couple times a year. When recently offered the chance to review Dex written by Sheri Lynn Fishbach from Persnickety Press in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to spend a little time reading for myself. The hardcover book currently costs $16.99 with a sale price of $11.04 on Amazon.
Author
Located in New York, writer and editor Sheri Lynn Fishbach published her first novel, Dex, based on her screenplay and TV pilot of the same title. Over the years, she has contributed to local, regional, and national publications including Gannett’s the Journal News, Jewish Reporter, Steppin’ Out, Psychology Tomorrow, and The New York Times network of newspapers. A Meisner-trained actress, she has earned a BA in history from SUNY Binghamton and an MA in English education from Brooklyn College. She has performed in various regional productions and has been a featured voice in local commercials and audiobooks. She has alsocompleted several screenplays and two yet-to-be published novels based on her screenplays entitled Lovelines, and her latest, The Plane Truth.
Synopsis
Dex Rossi is a gawky, lovesick middle-school entrepreneur and amateur chef who runs a gourmet lunch stand from the front lawn of his family home. In love with a girl who likes jocks, he hopes to earn enough money to buy a gym system so that he can bulk up and win her heart. When he and his older sister, Alicia, learn that the restaurant that his grandparents started and his grandmother still owns is in financial ruin, Dex cooks up a quick plan to use his profits to serve another purpose.
While cooking up some of his famous food at a party for the girl he loves, Dex lands his own television cooking show on the famous Eatz network. Just when he thinks that he has solved his family problems with his new job, Dex finds himself going head to head with a scheming, hard-boiled associate with a closely-guarded secret. The young chef ultimately learns that, when your dreams are on the chopping block, finding the right ingredients is the best recipe for success.
Review
Recommended for readers age 8 and older, Dex offers 301 pages of well-written and engaging story. I have always enjoyed books written for tweens and teens, so I was excited to sit down with my copy of Dex. I have also read some pre-adolescent books that were awfully written, so I am always wary when I pick up new titles. Dex absolutely did not disappoint. I was hooked from the first few pages. The writing is clear and clean, and the story progresses nicely without my having to backtrack to figure out how the plot jumped ahead. The writing style is quite easy for younger readers to tackle but is still engaging for older readers and adults. I am quite impressed with the writing in the book.
In addition to the writing, I also like that Dex follows a bunch of regular kids through a story that could actually happen. I love fantasy literature, but not all readers enjoy wizards or magic. I totally believe that a young man could set up a food business from his home with the help of his family and then land a job as a television chef on a food network. Even the antagonist of the story is believable. Sometimes villains can get a little cartoonish, but Fishbach does an excellent job of creating realistic characters across the board. I also loved how the story progressed and wrapped up in the end. You learn early on who the villain is and why but not until the end are you told how the bad guy gets his comeuppance. I really enjoyed the storytelling in this warm, engaging, and humorous book.
Final Verdict
As a lover of books, I highly recommend Dex to all middle schoolers and older readers. In the story, Dex is a middle schooler with a lot on his plate. The writing is clear and clean, and the story progresses logically. The writing style is quite easy for younger readers to tackle but is still engaging for older readers and adults. The characters are believable but interesting, and I love how the story progresses and wraps up in the end. If you are searching for a new book for a kid who loves food or cooking shows, definitely check out Dex written by Sheri Lynn Fishbach from Persnickety Press!
Purchase Dex on Amazon via my affiliate link.
Image Credits
‘Dex’ Book Review © 2016 Heather Johnson
Front Cover of ‘Dex’ © 2016 Heather Johnson
Back Cover of ‘Dex’ © 2016 Heather Johnson