Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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Ellene Mae Cabillo
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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.]
I recently finished reading "Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures," a children's book by Catherine Anna Pepe. The book astounded me on many levels, capturing my attention, interest, and appreciation for light, fun, and moving stories. The author encapsulated the right words and wove them together in this fun, eye-opening piece of literature that can undoubtedly move readers' hearts.
The story revolves around the adventures of two children and the lessons they have learned while their parents are living away—that happiness cannot be tied to a place but rather to experiences and people. The title explicitly highlights the character Donny, who has Down Syndrome, and his sister Mary Grace. The two have a beautiful connection as siblings. Mary Grace protects Donny, and he supports and brings sunshine to his sibling. The representation of kids like Donny in real life is well-executed, as he is depicted not as a child with a disability but as a joyful and enthusiastic kid who brings happiness to those around him. Throughout the book, his character exudes fun, adorableness, and more. Featuring Donny in a book allows the readers to be enlightened and understand kids with the same medical condition. It teaches us the importance of empathy, understanding, and acceptance, which could be an avenue to break the stigma and discrimination against disabled kids.
I have no particular dislike for the book, as the author expertly handled all the elements within the piece. There are three primary reasons why I like the book. Firstly, its formatting is done neatly. It is highly commendable that there were no spelling and grammatical errors, and each chapter was succinct and well-planned, which hooks the readers and keeps them engaged. The word count for each chapter is not very long, which is an advantage for books that aim to market to children and young adults. Secondly, since real people loosely inspire this fiction, the characters in the book have distinct personalities, which the author did an excellent job of characterizing. I love how Mary Grace, Donny, and their loved ones depict a family that is not perfect but is genuinely admirable. It showed how the parents—their actions and decisions—impact their children's lives. Lastly, the most moving of all is the book's theme.
I genuinely rate this book five out of five stars because I found it wholesome, enlightening, and fun. The book is short but filled with many adventures, insights, and lessons. It covers family values and provides insights regarding Down Syndrome. It also approached the delicate topic of bullying correctly and counterintuitively. It would be unjust to give it a lower rating. What I found most important in the book were the parallels between the scenes and the characters' uniqueness. The scenes are all essential to advance the story's plot.
Reading fiction fuels the heart, and this kind of book not only does that but also gives insights, as you learn from the characters' experiences. The writing style used in this book is light and easy to read, utterly appropriate for young adults and even children. Thus, I recommend this book to those individuals who are fond of reading children's books and want to dwell more on more elaborated ones. The book provides a great way to showcase how children's personalities—their wholesome and impressive characteristics—influence the lives of others in their own ways.
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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I recently finished reading "Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures," a children's book by Catherine Anna Pepe. The book astounded me on many levels, capturing my attention, interest, and appreciation for light, fun, and moving stories. The author encapsulated the right words and wove them together in this fun, eye-opening piece of literature that can undoubtedly move readers' hearts.
The story revolves around the adventures of two children and the lessons they have learned while their parents are living away—that happiness cannot be tied to a place but rather to experiences and people. The title explicitly highlights the character Donny, who has Down Syndrome, and his sister Mary Grace. The two have a beautiful connection as siblings. Mary Grace protects Donny, and he supports and brings sunshine to his sibling. The representation of kids like Donny in real life is well-executed, as he is depicted not as a child with a disability but as a joyful and enthusiastic kid who brings happiness to those around him. Throughout the book, his character exudes fun, adorableness, and more. Featuring Donny in a book allows the readers to be enlightened and understand kids with the same medical condition. It teaches us the importance of empathy, understanding, and acceptance, which could be an avenue to break the stigma and discrimination against disabled kids.
I have no particular dislike for the book, as the author expertly handled all the elements within the piece. There are three primary reasons why I like the book. Firstly, its formatting is done neatly. It is highly commendable that there were no spelling and grammatical errors, and each chapter was succinct and well-planned, which hooks the readers and keeps them engaged. The word count for each chapter is not very long, which is an advantage for books that aim to market to children and young adults. Secondly, since real people loosely inspire this fiction, the characters in the book have distinct personalities, which the author did an excellent job of characterizing. I love how Mary Grace, Donny, and their loved ones depict a family that is not perfect but is genuinely admirable. It showed how the parents—their actions and decisions—impact their children's lives. Lastly, the most moving of all is the book's theme.
I genuinely rate this book five out of five stars because I found it wholesome, enlightening, and fun. The book is short but filled with many adventures, insights, and lessons. It covers family values and provides insights regarding Down Syndrome. It also approached the delicate topic of bullying correctly and counterintuitively. It would be unjust to give it a lower rating. What I found most important in the book were the parallels between the scenes and the characters' uniqueness. The scenes are all essential to advance the story's plot.
Reading fiction fuels the heart, and this kind of book not only does that but also gives insights, as you learn from the characters' experiences. The writing style used in this book is light and easy to read, utterly appropriate for young adults and even children. Thus, I recommend this book to those individuals who are fond of reading children's books and want to dwell more on more elaborated ones. The book provides a great way to showcase how children's personalities—their wholesome and impressive characteristics—influence the lives of others in their own ways.
******
Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
