Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures

[Ilze Herholdt]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures" by Catherine A. Pepe.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Mary Grace has a deep affection for her five-year-old brother, Donny. Donny is portrayed as having Down syndrome, and his character was created in honor of the author's brother, who suffered from Down syndrome. He was in the first generation of Down Syndrome children who survived infancy because of the miracle drug developed after World War II. The doctors' advised that he should be institutionalized, but his parents decided to take care of him themselves. Mary Grace feels like her world is collapsing after her parents broke the news that they were going to Africa to help provide water for the poor and teach them useful skills. Mary Grace and Donny's parents will be away for two years, so Mary Grace and Donny will have to go live with Grandma Cathy and Papa Steve in California at their ranch.

At first, Mary Grace has a hard time making friends at school, but she is warmly welcomed into The Grandma Gang. A few years ago, Grandma Cathy and some of her friends caught a burglar red-handed after solving the mystery of a 7-eleven break-in. Mary Grace soon encounters Penelope, who welcomes her to the school. Soon after that, Mary Grace starts getting these threatening notes that say someone is going to hurt herself, Donny, and even Penelope. She decides to put her feelings aside and instead look at the situation as a mystery to solve. The teachers and The Grandma Gang also have a helping hand to stop the bully. You will have to read Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventure, written by Catherine A. Pepe, to find out if they succeed in their mission.

The lesson of this book is that you shouldn't bully kids because they are different and need special learning programs and methods. Instead, you should understand that it's not their fault that they are different. Donny's character was one I enjoyed, and he managed to put a smile on my face a couple of times. One of the times when he made me smile is when he said, “Today is the best day of my life,” which he said almost every day. He is content with the simplest things, and his cheerful attitude puts a smile on everyone's faces. I appreciated that Mary Grace genuinely tried to help the bully, after he was confronted, by offering him free karate lessons to let out his anger. She made the correct decision and acted with maturity to resolve the issue. I was also surprised to find out that the penguin Lucky mentioned in the book is real and did live at the zoo in Santa Barbara. Unfortunately, he died in 2020 because of ongoing health problems. This makes the book even more special, and I'm left wondering how much more of the book's story resonates with the author's life.

There is nothing I dislike about this well-constructed book. I appreciated that Pepe included the works of Dr. Seuss, in particular the book “Green Eggs and Ham.” The inclusion of this novel keeps the attention of the reader because many children love Dr. Seuss' books. The cover page is interesting, and it's already clear that Donny loves California through his shirt that says, “I love California,” compared to Mary Grace who misses Wichita and whose shirt says, “Not so much.”

I would like to express my satisfaction with the fact that this book has been professionally edited. Mary Grace's kind and empathetic nature will hopefully inspire children to behave the same. Although this story is fictional, some parts of it were inspired by real-life events. Since the author's own brother had Down syndrome, she has an urgent need to raise awareness of the condition. I'm overjoyed to give this book four out of four stars.

This book is for people of all ages, including children aged eight or older, teachers, parents, and even grandparents. Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventure provides a moral message that is universal regardless of age or maturity, so it can be read by anyone.

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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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[Phooko Tebogo PC]

wow the book sounds to be more interesting than its cover. I love the lesson that it tries to leave to readers. Thank you for such an insightful review.

[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

The karate lessons sound more engaging. I believe it is a nice way to express emotions. Well, this book is a masterpiece. I wanna grab a copy of this. Thanks for this wonderful review!

[Ohna Martin]

An inspiring book the bond between brother and sister is extraordinary. Will it be more so if their parent leave for Africa and they have to move?

[Avishi]

Bullying is a serious problem in schools and colleges that has an impact on students both mentally and physically. This story will teach children that bullying is wrong regardless of the reason for it. I admire the author for using a simple story to teach children about a complex subject.