Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
Posted: 30 Dec 2022, 17:46
[Following is a volunteer review of "Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures" by Catherine A. Pepe.]
This book, Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures, is about two siblings who were made to stay in California while their parents left for an African mission. Donny needed special attention because he had congenital disabilities. As the story began, Donny went missing while visiting the zoo with Mary Grace and their parents. Donny's parents and his sister looked for him, although they struggled to control their emotions as they did so. Thankfully, others decided to assist in the search for him. Everyone was relieved when Donny was located, and his family vowed to exercise greater caution. However, they will leave for Africa and be there for a long time, leaving their kids in California. Will Donny and Mary Grace be able to adapt to their new environment in California?
I had a great time reading this book. Its discussion of Down syndrome was, in my opinion, an unquestionable high point. Rarely, if ever, are people with special needs depicted in children's books or fiction. However, Cathrine A. Pepe did it superbly. Her depiction of Donny is sympathetic and instructive. Donny is a lovable character who has both virtues and shortcomings. He is satisfyingly whole, and not just his Down syndrome defines him. The other characters are also interesting. Mary Grace's character was also beautifully developed. She has close relationships with the people she loves, and despite her early difficulties, she gradually overcomes them and finds her true self. Her relatability will appeal to young readers. Another notable aspect of this book is the friendships and pleasant interactions the characters have.
Even though this is a fictional story, Catherine Anna Pepe informs us that Donny exists. A sibling of hers has Down syndrome. The hospital urged her parents to keep their child in an institution so that he could receive care. But Donny's parents chose to raise him on their own. As a result, he has received their affection. Children with Down syndrome and Donny served as inspiration for this book.
The book's wording was fluid and straightforward for me to read. The logical progression of the plot, in my opinion, was the best option for a children's novel. It wasn't overly complicated. The writing style was straightforward and contained the perfect number of big words to assist young readers' vocabularies. The book's primary mood is upbeat and lighthearted, with sporadic injections of darker subjects like despair and bullying.
I give Catherine A. Pepe's Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures 5 out of 5 stars. There were no errors in the book, which shows that it was exceptionally well-edited. The perfect rating is based on the fact that it has many positive qualities and no negative qualities at all. I would recommend this book to teachers for use with their pupils. There are enough lessons to be learned from this book. Furthermore, they would benefit from it since the book teaches kids how to maintain empathy for one another, which is especially important for kids with special needs. Additionally, the book's simplicity makes the topic suitable for kids.
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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
This book, Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures, is about two siblings who were made to stay in California while their parents left for an African mission. Donny needed special attention because he had congenital disabilities. As the story began, Donny went missing while visiting the zoo with Mary Grace and their parents. Donny's parents and his sister looked for him, although they struggled to control their emotions as they did so. Thankfully, others decided to assist in the search for him. Everyone was relieved when Donny was located, and his family vowed to exercise greater caution. However, they will leave for Africa and be there for a long time, leaving their kids in California. Will Donny and Mary Grace be able to adapt to their new environment in California?
I had a great time reading this book. Its discussion of Down syndrome was, in my opinion, an unquestionable high point. Rarely, if ever, are people with special needs depicted in children's books or fiction. However, Cathrine A. Pepe did it superbly. Her depiction of Donny is sympathetic and instructive. Donny is a lovable character who has both virtues and shortcomings. He is satisfyingly whole, and not just his Down syndrome defines him. The other characters are also interesting. Mary Grace's character was also beautifully developed. She has close relationships with the people she loves, and despite her early difficulties, she gradually overcomes them and finds her true self. Her relatability will appeal to young readers. Another notable aspect of this book is the friendships and pleasant interactions the characters have.
Even though this is a fictional story, Catherine Anna Pepe informs us that Donny exists. A sibling of hers has Down syndrome. The hospital urged her parents to keep their child in an institution so that he could receive care. But Donny's parents chose to raise him on their own. As a result, he has received their affection. Children with Down syndrome and Donny served as inspiration for this book.
The book's wording was fluid and straightforward for me to read. The logical progression of the plot, in my opinion, was the best option for a children's novel. It wasn't overly complicated. The writing style was straightforward and contained the perfect number of big words to assist young readers' vocabularies. The book's primary mood is upbeat and lighthearted, with sporadic injections of darker subjects like despair and bullying.
I give Catherine A. Pepe's Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures 5 out of 5 stars. There were no errors in the book, which shows that it was exceptionally well-edited. The perfect rating is based on the fact that it has many positive qualities and no negative qualities at all. I would recommend this book to teachers for use with their pupils. There are enough lessons to be learned from this book. Furthermore, they would benefit from it since the book teaches kids how to maintain empathy for one another, which is especially important for kids with special needs. Additionally, the book's simplicity makes the topic suitable for kids.
******
Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon