Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures

[Justin Christensen]

[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 by Catherine Anne Pepe is an inspiring and heartwarming children's book that explores the themes of love, acceptance, and overcoming adversity. The story follows siblings Donny and Mary Grace, who are sent to live with their grandparents in California after their parents move to Africa. Donny, who has Down syndrome, and his sister, Mary Grace, grow closer than ever as they go through new experiences together.

This delightful tale aims to teach children about the importance of kindness, compassion, and understanding, particularly towards those who may be different from themselves. As a father of young children myself, that is something I look for in children’s books. The narrative of the book is that people with disabilities are not defined by them but are capable of living full and meaningful lives like anyone else. The characters of Donny and Mary Grace are fun and endearing. Mary Grace's love for her brother and her desire to protect him are genuinely touching.

The introduction of the Grandma Gang is one of the highlights of this book. This group of elderly women bands together to help solve the mystery of threatening notes sent to Mary Grace at school. The Grandma Gang is, first of all, a fantastic name. The gang brings an element of excitement and intrigue that would help keep young readers engaged. Each chapter keeps building on the story, which makes it easy to stay invested. I always wanted to know what came next.

I do think that including some full-color illustrations would improve the book a little bit. I’m a grown man, and I still enjoy a good piece of artwork in my books. I am pretty sure that the target audience of this particular book would also appreciate them. That is honestly the only piece of feedback I have.

I rate Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures 5 out of 5 stars. This is a must-read for elementary-aged children, especially if they or someone close to them is facing unique challenges in life, like a disability. I’d also like to give a shout-out to the editorial team, as the book seemed exceptionally well edited.

I’m an adult, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you have kids, you absolutely need to read it. I do think that educators and care providers in particular would benefit from picking up a copy.

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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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