Self-acceptance is a critical element of self-esteem, particularly in today's culture where we are more valued by what we do and what we have as opposed to who we are. So, we chase after some notion of what is going to make us happy with ourselves never finding a truly satisfying answer. The Life and Times of Dexter: A Tale of Spider Webs and Self-Discovery, speaks to everyone children, teens and adults. No matter what stage of life we are in, we need to love and value ourselves just because and that can only happen if we challenge ourselves to reach our highest potential as human beings. Through his struggles to be more self-accepting, Dexter serves to help readers examine their own self-worth. He travels far and wide to quell his inner dissatisfaction. Along the way he meets other characters who challenge him to take a deeper look inside himself. These relationships teach him humility, trust, perseverance and self-sacrifice. They help him realize that by caring for others, he is able to feel the kind of peace and joy that only true self-acceptance can bring.