3 out of 4 stars
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Bullying is a significant problem that many schools deal with. If mishandled, it could have a terrible impact on the victim. Catherine A. Pepe details the experiences that Donny, a 5-year-old boy with down syndrome, and his 10-year-old sister, Mary Grace, had while schooling in California in her book Donny and Mary Grace’s California Adventure.
Donny falls asleep on a tram while having fun at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita. When his family searches for him and finds him, they all rejoice and go back home. Later, the Episcopal Church calls their parents to serve as missionaries in Africa. They decide to send their children to live with their grandparents in California after giving it some thought. The kids fly to California to meet their grandparents there. Grandma then registers the children at North Elementary. A few days after classes resume, Mary Grace finds a strange threat note hidden inside her desk. She is forced to tell Grandma about the note. Grandma contacts the school, and an investigation starts. Do they ever discover who the culprit is? What part of the note worried Mary Grace? Does she get any other mysterious notes? Read the book to find out more.
This book was enjoyable to read. The author used plain English that was easy to understand for both children and adults. Readers can learn from Mary Grace's character. Despite the threat, she was kind and had a forgiven heart. The book also addresses bullying by informing children that there are consequences for all forms of bullying. It also emphasizes the different types of bullying, pointing out that it can happen in a variety of ways. The forms include physical violence as well as verbal or written abuse.
The author's decision to lengthen the book was one thing that disturbed me. Although the book's title depicts the adventures that Mary Grace and Donny had in California, those events weren't actually discussed until the eighth chapter, when they arrived at the airport there. Also, because it's a children's book, the author should have left out the information about Father Randall and his husband, Bill, because most parents would be uncomfortable with their children reading about a male church leader being married to a man.
I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars. I have deducted a star from my rating because it contains sensitive information that might not be appropriate for children. Me not finding any errors in the book shows it was exceptionally well-edited. I recommend this book to young readers who enjoy mysteries. This book would be a favorite among high school students.
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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventure
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