Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
[Following is a volunteer review of "Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures" by Catherine A. Pepe.]
In this book, Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures, Catherine A. Pepe describes two characters. It tells the tale of a young girl named Mary Grace and her younger, down syndrome-affected brother, Donny.
These children grew up in a picture-perfect family in Wichita, Kansas. They were a joyful family, full of adventure. All of this changed, however, when both parents were assigned to missionary work in a small village in Kenya. Mary Grace was disappointed that this had to happen, and she expressed her disappointment. Donny, on the other hand, seemed unconcerned and excited that they would be moving to California to live with their grandparents. It turned out to be something Mary Grace and Donny had not expected to happen in California. Donny and Mary Grace's California adventures is filled with adventure, mystery, and a lot of fun, from when the kids met their grandparents' friends, enrolled in a new school, made their own friends, and overcame challenges—including bullying—together.
In this story, Catherine Pepe reminds us that people with disabilities deserve the same treatment as everyone else. I liked how the book addressed that issue by not treating Donny differently because of his disability. In many stories, people like this are frequently ignored, made to appear as if their disability was the only thing they had going for them in life, or relegated to the background. This story is unique in that it actively involves Donny in all of its adventures. I also liked how the author progressed gradually through Mary Grace's development in a short period of time. It had already been established that she is a smart person, but I was really impressed by the way she logically made decisions, overcame her many obstacles, and still looked out for her brother. That is mature behavior.
This book, in my opinion, should have had named chapters or been divided into sections with titles. The titles would have been brief synopses of what would happen in that chapter. That would have made it more interesting. I also had the impression that some of the adults, particularly those in the grandma gang, had a lot of free time on their hands, but that's just my opinion because I believe that nobody should ever be that idle. Regardless, this is a worthwhile read, and I give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It's well-edited, concise, and overall intriguing. I was always curious to see how MG would approach her next problem.
I would recommend this book to children aged 7 to 13. They would identify with Mary Grace and Donny and aspire to be as intelligent as MG. However, if an adult wants a simple story with a fairy-tale ending, I would gladly recommend this as well.
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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
In this book, Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures, Catherine A. Pepe describes two characters. It tells the tale of a young girl named Mary Grace and her younger, down syndrome-affected brother, Donny.
These children grew up in a picture-perfect family in Wichita, Kansas. They were a joyful family, full of adventure. All of this changed, however, when both parents were assigned to missionary work in a small village in Kenya. Mary Grace was disappointed that this had to happen, and she expressed her disappointment. Donny, on the other hand, seemed unconcerned and excited that they would be moving to California to live with their grandparents. It turned out to be something Mary Grace and Donny had not expected to happen in California. Donny and Mary Grace's California adventures is filled with adventure, mystery, and a lot of fun, from when the kids met their grandparents' friends, enrolled in a new school, made their own friends, and overcame challenges—including bullying—together.
In this story, Catherine Pepe reminds us that people with disabilities deserve the same treatment as everyone else. I liked how the book addressed that issue by not treating Donny differently because of his disability. In many stories, people like this are frequently ignored, made to appear as if their disability was the only thing they had going for them in life, or relegated to the background. This story is unique in that it actively involves Donny in all of its adventures. I also liked how the author progressed gradually through Mary Grace's development in a short period of time. It had already been established that she is a smart person, but I was really impressed by the way she logically made decisions, overcame her many obstacles, and still looked out for her brother. That is mature behavior.
This book, in my opinion, should have had named chapters or been divided into sections with titles. The titles would have been brief synopses of what would happen in that chapter. That would have made it more interesting. I also had the impression that some of the adults, particularly those in the grandma gang, had a lot of free time on their hands, but that's just my opinion because I believe that nobody should ever be that idle. Regardless, this is a worthwhile read, and I give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It's well-edited, concise, and overall intriguing. I was always curious to see how MG would approach her next problem.
I would recommend this book to children aged 7 to 13. They would identify with Mary Grace and Donny and aspire to be as intelligent as MG. However, if an adult wants a simple story with a fairy-tale ending, I would gladly recommend this as well.
******
Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
As long as there is a concept of victors, the vanquished will always exist.
~Uchiha M.
~Uchiha M.
Latest Review: Intoxicating Tango by Cherie Magnus
