Red Rex

by Matthew Mellema

In a hidden kingdom where dinosaurs roam freely, Carthus is trapped.
The fourteen-year-old orphan guards a stegosaurus herd for his uncaring uncle and dreams of training as a dinosaur rider at the ancient school of Koganri. The problem is, he’s a commoner, so his only hope is to pass an impossibly hard entrance exam. After countless hours of study, Carthus earns the kingdom’s only passing grade.

However, elite schoolmasters group him with the misfits and foreigners in their plot to rid Koganri of students they deem unworthy. Carthus must win a series of dinosaur-riding competitions, or his chances of staying at the school are nil. But he can’t win the Maybranch alone—it’s a team competition. To keep his dream alive, Carthus must help his teammates get along so they can joust on gallos, fly on pterodactyls, and give commands to a surly t-rex. The fate of their future depends on it, even more than they know.


Editorial Reviews:

"Action, heart, and … dinos? This is an adventure story for young readers to savor!"

Glenn McCarty, author of the Tumbleweed Thompson series

Genres: Middle Grade, Childrens, Fantasy

332 pages, Paperback

Published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[Loren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful middle grade adventure with dinosaurs and a culture in the time of Ancient Rome. I'm looking forward to the future parts of this series!

[Alexa Holzbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to request a sequel as well as an audiobook version please!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read aloud to my boys. The premise is kind of ancient world Hogwarts with less magic and more dinosaurs. The narrator isn’t really the chosen hero of the book, which is refreshing; he’s a bookish kid who struggles with the more athletic dino fighting skills but is great at strategizing. My kids liked it, though more so once I quit reading the copious number of footnotes. That’s really my one complaint, at least as a read aloud. The whole story is framed as a translation of a document found by a fictitious Victorian explorer, and while it’s an interesting worldbuilding device for kids who are interested in details, trying to read through them all really broke up the flow of the story. I was informed that I do need to keep an eye out for the promised next book in the series.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the novel I picked to read to my 7- and 9-year-old boys over winter break. They loved the idea of a dinosaur school, and they enjoyed seeing how each of the different dino species was used in Kosmosa (as messengers, transportation, war machines, etc). And the story had a great cadence that kept us pressing onward.

This story has that Harry Potter shape to it. Carthus wants to get accepted to Koganri (a school where students learn to train dinos), and even though he's an underdog-outsider, he makes it in by the skin of his teeth. Then, he makes friends and enemies among his classmates. There's a high-stakes competition (the Maybranch) that raises the stakes and keeps you invested. The three Maybranch events were great anchors for the narrative.

I did want more development of some of the internal aspects of Carthus's struggles with ability and confidence. I also felt a tension between Hanno and Carthus as protagonists. There were times when I wondered which boy I was supposed to be following more closely.

Also, the artwork is just fantastic.

[Josie Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only other fantasy book that I really truly fell in love with was the Keeper of the Lost Cities series. That all changed as soon as I finished Red Rex. This book was a great, intriguing read that I have already gifted to many others. I didn’t think that I would love this book as much as I do, but I found myself rooting for the characters until the end! I feel that the second half was better, so if you’ve started the book but haven’t gotten into it yet, just you wait.

[Ellie Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am usually not a fan of fantasy/science fiction, but this book had a historical fiction feel to it as well, And I really enjoyed it. Once I got into it and understood the book, I read the rest in one day. You do not have to love dinosaurs, science fiction or fantasy to enjoy this book. This book made me root for the characters until the end and I hope a sequel comes out soon!

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Rex is a delightful, adventure-packed novel that captures the imagination of readers of all ages. My 12 and 14-year-olds couldn’t put the book down, and I found myself just as hooked! The story is fast-paced, full of intrigue, and takes you on an exciting journey where dinosaurs come alive in ways that feel fresh and fascinating.

Mellema’s knack for blending thrilling adventure with an abundance of cool dinosaur facts makes this sure to be an instant hit for both younger readers and adults alike. The storyline is solid, engaging, and keeps you wanting to turn the page, all while learning interesting tidbits about prehistoric creatures that are seamlessly woven into the plot. Whether you’re a dino enthusiast or just a lover of a good story, this book delivers on every level.

My family is already eagerly awaiting the next book because this one feels like it’s just the beginning of a much larger saga. It’s practically begging to be a series, and if the sequels are anything like this, it’s destined to be a beloved collection. I wholeheartedly recommend Red Rex to readers of any age.

[Gianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

My reaction from chapter 1 was THE RUMORS ARE TRUE. I CAN'T PUT IT DOWN.

As my husband put it, "This book is like Atlantis but with dinosaurs..." He's not far off.

It's amazing middle-grade fantasy. You know its good when you're waaaaay outside the intended audience and you LOVE it anyway. As I said, it's got dinosaurs, but also battle school, dinosaur games (Like quidditch but on raptors?!)... and also friendship, rivalry, courage, self-doubt, integrity. There's a lot of subtlety and nuance that you don't often find in middle-grade fiction, and I'm so very excited to start reading this to my kids. This is the kind of story I want my children to be formed by as they grow up.

[Eric Landfried · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a page turner. A fantasy world where dinosaurs exist? The premise alone had me picking up the book. Fun, action-packed, and some really creative world building aided by footnotes that invoke a Tolkien influence. This book might be classified as middle grade, but this dude in his 50s thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time children's author, Matthew Mellema, has written and engaging, high adventure novel! I was impressed with the character development, pacing, vocabulary, and attention to detail. Highly recommend for boys and girls ages 10+. It could definitely be read aloud to children 5-6 that have a passion for dinosaurs.

[Christina B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredibly creative, endearing, adventurous, and makes any kid want to immerse themselves in this forgotten world of dinosaurs! I highly recommend this book, especially for avid young readers; they will be lost in the pages, adventuring alongside Carthus and his friends.

[Joey W · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good story idea, the world was very well developed. I did find it a little annoying that all the dinosaurs names were shortened and all ended in O. Can't wait for the next one!

[Andrew Waring · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story but the formatting of the book on Hoopla was awful and distracting. I would read the next book though!

[Ashlee Cowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you or your kids are obsessed with dinosaurs like mine are, you must read this book! But it's also so much more than "a dinosaur story"-- with intricate world-building and compelling characters you immediately want to root for, RED REX has all the elements of a literary adventure that will stick with young readers for a long time. The ink illustrations throughout are captivating and the history nerd in me especially loved the clever footnotes and the sense of realism it gave to this imaginative tale! A great next read for fans of Cressida Cowell.

[Kaetrianne Ramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Rex was hysterically funny and I enjoyed every moment of it. It definitely wasn’t targeted at my age, but I did not care and I had a fun time anyway!

Carthus had the best inner dialogue. Also! The world was set up so well and while it always takes a moment to figure out what’s happening, it was an overall smooth process.

I will admit to getting a little distracted by the footnotes, but the information was helpful and overall well formatted.

Overall, five stars!

[Alyssa Hornbuckle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you have children, or you’re a child at heart, this book is a must read!

The world building is fantastic, and had me wondering at times if Kosmosa really did exist in antiquity. I definitely looked up Sir Alfred Lemon at one point to see if he was real.

I’m not crazy into dinosaurs, but I LOVED how they were such a creative part of the story (so if you’re super into dinosaurs, you’ll be obsessed)!

The plot was compelling, it was a fun (and family friendly) adventure, and there were some great themes and lessons woven into the story. Definitely would recommend!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read for my 7 year old son who loves dinosaurs. It's a story set in a hidden island during Roman times where kids can go to a special school to learn how to be a Dinosaur rider. I really enjoyed reading this to my son and I'm sure others would enjoy it too!

Think of it like Harry Potter meets Dinosaurs!