Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures

[Ruth Nabuyaya]

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

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4 out of 5 stars

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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures by Catherine A. Pepe is a riveting tale of how Mary Grace was protective of her little brother Donny Miller who suffers from Down Syndrome and therefore required a lot of attention. Throughout the book, Mary Grace displayed an affectionate and sacrificial love for her brother.

With its setting alternating from Kansas to California, Donny and Mary Grace had to be taken to their grandparents because their parents were sent on a mission in Africa. The decision did not sit well with Mary Grace, as they were not carried along in the decision making process.

When they got to California, they were enrolled in North Elementary School where Mary Grace started receiving abusive and threatening notes which were placed in her desk. How was she able to address that? Potential readers should find out what makes this book a real adventure.

As this book is for children, it has been embedded with many lessons. It teaches on how to handle bullying, how to deal with emotions and most important , the increasing need for public education and acceptance especially for those who may seem different from others.

I will rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. This is because of its relatable events and simplicity in delivery. It has been standardly formatted, the characters are well developed, and the storyline is captivating. The plot development is gradual in progression, especially as Mary Grace moved from being timid and resentful to creatively developing her ideas. There is nothing to dislike about this book. It has also been exceptionally edited, as I found no errors in it.

I will recommend it to children as they are the primary audience, parents, teachers and carers as they have a responsibility to encourage young people to treat others fairly, as well as to model positive behaviors themselves.

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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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