Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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Martin Roy Boshoff
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Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
[Following is a volunteer review of "Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures" by Catherine A. Pepe.]
Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures by Catherine A. Pepe is a novel that was inspired by the life of an innocent little boy named Donny, who was born with Down syndrome in 1955. He was fortunate to be born at a time when medical science was advanced enough to be able to create miraculous drugs that saved his life. The doctors recommended that Donny be put in a special home where his special needs would be met, but their parents decided to keep him home with his family, where he belonged. When Donny was only five years old, he and his sister Mary Grace were given the news by their father, who was a priest, that he and their mother had been given an unusual assignment to be missionaries for the Episcopal Church in Africa to help the village people in need. Unfortunately, Donny and Mary Grace couldn't join them on their journey to Africa, so they were sent to California to live with their grandparents at their ranch for two years. When they arrived and settled into their new temporary home. Mary Grace and Donny were sent to their new school, but being in a new school made the two children a target for bullying. Mary Grace found cruel notes in her desk that threatened her and her brother to go back to where they came from. But Mary Grace was a mystery solver at heart; she teamed up with the Grandma Gang, and they helped her solve the mystery of who this bully was. The Grandma Gang was a group of old ladies who loved solving mysteries. They were set on their new mission. Who was this bully, and why was he or she bullying Mary Grace and her innocent little brother?
I loved that the author captured the innocence of the children so well. Reading this book has been a lovely experience. Getting to know the hearts of these children and learning more about their characters and how they deal with difficult times has been inspiring to me. I also loved that the author gave a new perspective on Down syndrome, that having a disability doesn't make you any less human, and that all lives should be respected equally. Donny had a joyful spirit that was contagious to everyone. I loved how Donny had such a positive impact on everyone's lives; his joyful spirit brought light and contentment into all the lives that he touched. There was absolutely nothing that could have been done better about this book; it was professionally edited, with not a single error that I could find while reading. Getting to know Donny and how he lived his life to the fullest has been an inspiring experience for me.
The relationship between Mary Grace and Donny was based on true love that they had for one another, their strong connection was beautiful and enlightening. I loved Mary Grace's character; she was a strong young lady who didn't allow those awful letters to get to her and her brother. She showed true character by solving the mystery of who the bully was. I enjoyed this book so much that I cheerfully give a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. My high rating for this book is well deserved; the story was inspiring, and how everyone treated the bully warmed my heart. The characters in this novel were filled with compassion and kindness, which created unity among everyone. I also loved how honest Mary Grace was; she was true to herself and everyone else. Even though it wasn't easy for her to go to a new school and leave her friends behind in Wichita, she managed to adjust and make new friends and new memories that were just as special as the ones she had back home in Wichita.
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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures by Catherine A. Pepe is a novel that was inspired by the life of an innocent little boy named Donny, who was born with Down syndrome in 1955. He was fortunate to be born at a time when medical science was advanced enough to be able to create miraculous drugs that saved his life. The doctors recommended that Donny be put in a special home where his special needs would be met, but their parents decided to keep him home with his family, where he belonged. When Donny was only five years old, he and his sister Mary Grace were given the news by their father, who was a priest, that he and their mother had been given an unusual assignment to be missionaries for the Episcopal Church in Africa to help the village people in need. Unfortunately, Donny and Mary Grace couldn't join them on their journey to Africa, so they were sent to California to live with their grandparents at their ranch for two years. When they arrived and settled into their new temporary home. Mary Grace and Donny were sent to their new school, but being in a new school made the two children a target for bullying. Mary Grace found cruel notes in her desk that threatened her and her brother to go back to where they came from. But Mary Grace was a mystery solver at heart; she teamed up with the Grandma Gang, and they helped her solve the mystery of who this bully was. The Grandma Gang was a group of old ladies who loved solving mysteries. They were set on their new mission. Who was this bully, and why was he or she bullying Mary Grace and her innocent little brother?
I loved that the author captured the innocence of the children so well. Reading this book has been a lovely experience. Getting to know the hearts of these children and learning more about their characters and how they deal with difficult times has been inspiring to me. I also loved that the author gave a new perspective on Down syndrome, that having a disability doesn't make you any less human, and that all lives should be respected equally. Donny had a joyful spirit that was contagious to everyone. I loved how Donny had such a positive impact on everyone's lives; his joyful spirit brought light and contentment into all the lives that he touched. There was absolutely nothing that could have been done better about this book; it was professionally edited, with not a single error that I could find while reading. Getting to know Donny and how he lived his life to the fullest has been an inspiring experience for me.
The relationship between Mary Grace and Donny was based on true love that they had for one another, their strong connection was beautiful and enlightening. I loved Mary Grace's character; she was a strong young lady who didn't allow those awful letters to get to her and her brother. She showed true character by solving the mystery of who the bully was. I enjoyed this book so much that I cheerfully give a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. My high rating for this book is well deserved; the story was inspiring, and how everyone treated the bully warmed my heart. The characters in this novel were filled with compassion and kindness, which created unity among everyone. I also loved how honest Mary Grace was; she was true to herself and everyone else. Even though it wasn't easy for her to go to a new school and leave her friends behind in Wichita, she managed to adjust and make new friends and new memories that were just as special as the ones she had back home in Wichita.
******
Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker
