Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures

[Elina Tshabalala]

[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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Grandma Cathy found the perfect school for Mary Grace and her younger brother Donny, who has Down syndrome. The school was accommodating, and the teachers went the extra mile to ensure the two new students were well-integrated. For some odd reason, there was somebody in Mary Grace’s class who didn’t like her and anonymously wrote her hurtful and mean letters. She informed her grandmother about these mysterious letters, and they devised a plan to find out who was behind them. Read Donny and Mary Grace’s California Adventures by Catherine Anna Pepe to discover how Mary Grace and Grandma Cathy solved this mystery.

Donny and Mary Grace’s California Adventures delicately shine the spotlight on the topics of bullying and Down syndrome. It discusses how bullying affects the victims and also sheds light on what goes on in the minds of perpetrators. I liked how Pepe teaches the readers about Down syndrome and how Donny is considerate, kind, and cheerful.

This book has many valuable lessons for children. It teaches them how to process their emotions, address bullying, and equips them with practical tools to stand up for themselves. The school and the parents handled the bullying with absolute care. Although the victims received due punishment, they were also treated with dignity. The book was enjoyable, and the adventures were fun. It also flowed seamlessly from one scene to the next. The editing was also impeccable, adding to the overall pleasurable reading experience. My rating is, therefore, 5 out of 5 stars. I did not find any fault in this book.

This book empowers its young readers to take a firm stand against bullying. It also explores various safety measures which can be implemented to help curb bullying. There are several age-appropriate strategies that readers can adopt. There are also many fun adventures.

School-going children between six and twelve years are most likely to be exposed to bullying. I recommend this book to children around the above-mentioned age group and encourage all parents to invest in this book and teach their kids about Down syndrome.

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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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[Sarah Zain]

I read the book and i enjoyed it too. Well written review Elina.

[Fawmi FJumana]

This is a well written review for an excellent children's book. I enjoyed the book as well. I enjoyed Donny's sunny nature and Mary Grace's character as well.

[Kavita Shah]

Great review Elina! I like the positives about the book you've mentioned and it is indeed a nice teaching story. Taking a firm stand against bullying, that's the best part!

[Bettny Andrade]

It seems very creative to me that they write a children's book with this theme, I like it. It is definitely a good book for children to learn about empathy. This is a book that I will soon be reading. Good job, great review.

[Shally Z]

Great review! It's very clear and I'm glad to read that you enjoyed this book too

[bookworm694]

I really enjoyed reading your review!