Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures

[Laura Helsel Goggin]

[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 Anna Pepe is a cute and incredible story about Mary Grace and her younger brother Donny, who has Down syndrome. Mary Grace is devastated to learn that she and Donny will be moving to California to live with their grandparents while her parents go on a mission to Africa. Donny is excited about going to his grandparents, but Mary Grace is upset about leaving her friends and community and not seeing her parents for two years.

Mary Grace and Donny settle in with their grandparents, but unfortunately for Mary Grace, she has to deal with a bullying episode at school. With the help of the Grandma Gang, Mary Grace solves the mystery of who was bullying her and why the person did it.

I loved this story because the adults handled the bullying episode exceptionally well. Mary Grace was initially very scared, but once she found out who did it and why they did it, she empathized with them and devised a way to help the bully. Mary Grace shows love and empathy way beyond her age.

Donny and Mary Grace are both delightful characters. Mary Grace shows love and patience towards her brother throughout the story. Donny is full of enthusiasm and has a passion for life. Having main characters in books with special needs is essential, as it helps young readers learn about differences and to be more accepting of others.

This book is easy to read and understand, and readers from all walks of life would enjoy reading it because of how well it covers moral values as a part of everyday life. I recommend this book for children of all ages and their parents. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. This book was professionally edited, and I have no concerns about the quality of the book.

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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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