Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
Posted: 14 Aug 2023, 18:45
[Following is a volunteer review of "Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures" by Catherine A. Pepe.]
The story gained momentum when word spread that a five-year-old boy had gone missing in the zoo. The missing child had Down syndrome. Donny Miller was his name, and Mary Grace Miller was his sister. Thankfully, he was eventually found. Following a recommendation from the local church's bishop, Mr. and Mrs. Miller were given a unique job by the World Health Organization. For two years, they were to work as missionaries in the Episcopal Church in a Kenyan community in Africa. Mr. Miller would serve as the village's priest and teacher, while Mrs. Miller, who was trained as a water engineer, would assist the villagers in obtaining clean water. Mary Grace and Donny would have to move from Wichita, Kansas to California, where their grandparents lived. Right from the initial stage, Donny was easier to convince to take the bold step, but Mary Grace proved difficult to convince. After their move, Mary Grace was left with the responsibility of caring for her brother, which forced her to decide between her happiness and Donny's. Is Mary Grace ever going to be able to let go of her anger or her conviction that the church is to blame for her issues? Will she be able to uncover the mystery behind her new school's bullying? Will her worries come true? Get a copy of this book to find out.
Donny and Marie Grace's California Adventures is a children's book written by Catherine Anna Pepe that tells the fascinating story of a remarkable kid and his adoring sister who had to live apart from their devoted parents for two years. While Mary Grace was a smart, brave, brilliant, kind, responsible, and resourceful person, Donny was the young man who valued his sister. He was a cheerful child who enjoyed eating and playing. He did not have to wait as long as his sister did to make friends. However, not long after Mary Grace started forming friendships, an incident involving Justin, Penelope, and Tiffany arose, threatening her security and almost confirming her suspicions. At this point, the story became more engrossing.
Catherine Anna Pepe is a fantastic writer. It was fascinating to see how the story's positive tone evolved. The author has no problem influencing the reader's feelings. That she effortlessly engaged my emotions impresses me. Many aspects of her book appeal to me. The book's characters were all engaging and well-developed. I respect her for quietly conveying moral principles via her novel, which range from those taught by the Millers to their children to those taught by the staff members to the students of North Elementary School. A fellow passenger on the plane that conveyed Mary Grace and Donny to California couldn't help but notice and comment on their upbringing. I admire the Millers as they endeavored to explain their situation to Mary Grace. I appreciate how the author encouraged positive interactions among families. I respect how each of the adults involved handled the situation at school. I like how the children's feelings and emotions were considered. And I'm glad the kids became friends at the end of the day.
Another noteworthy aspect of this piece is the story of the Grandma Gang. Because Mary Grace exhibited adult thinking, one would presume she was older. I learned through her experience and admission into the Grandma Gang that to be relevant, one must make a significant contribution to the world. That reinforced the fact that if you're resourceful, doors you plan to knock on will automatically open.
It is worth noting that this book was professionally and exceptionally edited since I noticed no errors in it. The statement about "Father Randall and "his" husband, Bill" was the only thing that made me raise my eyebrow about this book. I believe the statement is needless given that this is a children's novel. Parents with inquisitive children will not be easily excused. Fortunately, it was never mentioned again. However, it did not affect my overall enjoyment of this fantastic narrative.
As a result, I give this book a rating of five out of five stars. Teenagers will learn a lot from it, and parents will have themes like hospitality, friendship, respect, bullying, showing remorse when wrong, and so on to discuss with their children. I recommend this book to all children.
******
Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The story gained momentum when word spread that a five-year-old boy had gone missing in the zoo. The missing child had Down syndrome. Donny Miller was his name, and Mary Grace Miller was his sister. Thankfully, he was eventually found. Following a recommendation from the local church's bishop, Mr. and Mrs. Miller were given a unique job by the World Health Organization. For two years, they were to work as missionaries in the Episcopal Church in a Kenyan community in Africa. Mr. Miller would serve as the village's priest and teacher, while Mrs. Miller, who was trained as a water engineer, would assist the villagers in obtaining clean water. Mary Grace and Donny would have to move from Wichita, Kansas to California, where their grandparents lived. Right from the initial stage, Donny was easier to convince to take the bold step, but Mary Grace proved difficult to convince. After their move, Mary Grace was left with the responsibility of caring for her brother, which forced her to decide between her happiness and Donny's. Is Mary Grace ever going to be able to let go of her anger or her conviction that the church is to blame for her issues? Will she be able to uncover the mystery behind her new school's bullying? Will her worries come true? Get a copy of this book to find out.
Donny and Marie Grace's California Adventures is a children's book written by Catherine Anna Pepe that tells the fascinating story of a remarkable kid and his adoring sister who had to live apart from their devoted parents for two years. While Mary Grace was a smart, brave, brilliant, kind, responsible, and resourceful person, Donny was the young man who valued his sister. He was a cheerful child who enjoyed eating and playing. He did not have to wait as long as his sister did to make friends. However, not long after Mary Grace started forming friendships, an incident involving Justin, Penelope, and Tiffany arose, threatening her security and almost confirming her suspicions. At this point, the story became more engrossing.
Catherine Anna Pepe is a fantastic writer. It was fascinating to see how the story's positive tone evolved. The author has no problem influencing the reader's feelings. That she effortlessly engaged my emotions impresses me. Many aspects of her book appeal to me. The book's characters were all engaging and well-developed. I respect her for quietly conveying moral principles via her novel, which range from those taught by the Millers to their children to those taught by the staff members to the students of North Elementary School. A fellow passenger on the plane that conveyed Mary Grace and Donny to California couldn't help but notice and comment on their upbringing. I admire the Millers as they endeavored to explain their situation to Mary Grace. I appreciate how the author encouraged positive interactions among families. I respect how each of the adults involved handled the situation at school. I like how the children's feelings and emotions were considered. And I'm glad the kids became friends at the end of the day.
Another noteworthy aspect of this piece is the story of the Grandma Gang. Because Mary Grace exhibited adult thinking, one would presume she was older. I learned through her experience and admission into the Grandma Gang that to be relevant, one must make a significant contribution to the world. That reinforced the fact that if you're resourceful, doors you plan to knock on will automatically open.
It is worth noting that this book was professionally and exceptionally edited since I noticed no errors in it. The statement about "Father Randall and "his" husband, Bill" was the only thing that made me raise my eyebrow about this book. I believe the statement is needless given that this is a children's novel. Parents with inquisitive children will not be easily excused. Fortunately, it was never mentioned again. However, it did not affect my overall enjoyment of this fantastic narrative.
As a result, I give this book a rating of five out of five stars. Teenagers will learn a lot from it, and parents will have themes like hospitality, friendship, respect, bullying, showing remorse when wrong, and so on to discuss with their children. I recommend this book to all children.
******
Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon