Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures

[Anusha Thatavarthi]

[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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Donny and Mary Grace’s California Adventures is a children’s novel written by Catherine Anne Pepe. It tells the story of ten-year-old Mary Grace and her five-year-old brother, Donny, who has Down Syndrome. Donny and Mary Grace live with their loving parents in Wichita, Kansas. Their father is a priest and their mother works for the water department of the city. Mary Grace and Donny love their city and their schools, and they get to visit the zoo frequently. Their peaceful life turns tumultuous when Mary Grace’s parents get a mission from the church to go to Kenya for two years. Left with no other option, Mary Grace and Donny’s parents send them to California to live with their grandparents.

Mary Grace hates the idea of living away from her parents and moving to a strange city. But in California, Mary Grace and Donny go to new school, meet new people and make new friends. But then a distressing mystery challenges Mary Grace. Will she be able to solve it? And who will help her in solving it?

Donny and Mary Grace’s California Adventures is fun, entertaining and thought-provoking. It is one of the best children’s books I have read in recent times. It deals with a myriad of subjects, like the relationship between family members, the special bond grandparents and grandchildren share, kindness, bullying, and how neglect can shape a young child’s behaviour. Some of these subjects are heavy, but the author has dealt with them in the narration in such a way that children could easily understand them and spot the difference between good and bad.

I love the relationship between Mary Grace and her brother, Donny. She loves him unconditionally and always thinks of his needs and likes. Similarly, Donny always finds a way to show his love to his big sister. Their grandparents, Cathy and Steve, also share an amazing bond with their grandchildren. When Mary Grace faces bullying at her new school, Grandma Cathy encourages her to speak out and supports her every step of the way while she deals with it.

There is nothing I disliked about the book. I couldn’t find any errors. The book seems to be professionally edited. There is no profanity, violence, or erotic scenes.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars because it is well edited and contains really great subjects that children should be aware of. I recommend this book to children from the ages of seven and up and also to readers who love mysteries.

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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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