Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures

[Chrity Edwin]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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In her children's book, Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures, Catherine A. Pepe tells the tale of two Miller children, Mary Grace and Donny. Despite having Down syndrome since birth, Donny was a loving and enthusiastic child who was adored by his sister and parents. Meanwhile, Mary Grace is an extremely intelligent young woman who enjoys solving mysteries. When Mr. Millar, a priest, was selected to go as a missionary in Africa, things eventually started to change for this lovely family.

The children would have to move in with their grandparents, Papa Steve and Grandma Katty, in California because Mr. and Mrs. Miller's trip to Africa would require a lengthy period of family separation. Mary Grace did not agree with this notion and had never wanted her parents to travel to Africa, but once they arrived in California, she began to enjoy the state and even made a friend at her new school. Things soon went sour for her at her new school when she started receiving threats directed at her and Donny in notes from unidentified classmates. Can she figure out this mystery? To learn more, read this book.

I have read a lot of children's books, but I have to say that this one stands out since the plot is so unpredictable. This novel had a massive impact on me, even as an adult, and that is worth mentioning. From Mary Grace, I gained a lot of knowledge about sacrifice and selflessness. She was well aware of Donny's condition and deemed it her responsibility to make sure that her brother's happiness always came before her own. The love, care, and respect that the parents (and grandparents) have for their children is another intriguing lesson in this book.

Catherine A. Pepe's Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures is a book that is only positive throughout because, after carefully reading the story—which I nearly did in one sitting because it is so interesting—it is safe to say that the plot is captivating and engaging, and on the other hand, the writing style is superb, given how reader-friendly this book is.

After reading this book, I could find nothing to hate about it. The book's editing was excellent because I couldn't find any typos or grammatical errors, and the characters were well-developed. In light of this, I would rate this book four out of four stars. I suggest this book should be read by kids aged 6 and older, parents, grandparents, and anyone who enjoys children's literature.

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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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[Gavice Victoria]

Your review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures by Catherine A. Pepe is detailed. It did justice to the book and convinced me to try it out. Thank you so much for your honest review.

[Lawrence Chinedum]

With the way this review is detailed and for the numerous lessons you learned from this book, I would definitely read this book, because I'm a fan of interesting children story book.

[Elendu Clement Ekechukwu]

Who would threaten kids that just got to school if not psychos? hope the culprits are nailed. Thanks for the review

[JuliusOnyango]

To be honest, moving away from a place you have become comfortable in is really hard sometimes as in the case of Mary Grace. I definitely understand how hard it must be for her to adapt to this new life away from her friends and school.