Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures

[Francis Aderogbin]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures" by Catherine A. Pepe.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Episcopal Church had just transferred Mr Miller to Kenya, and his wife, Mrs Miller, decided to follow him on his mission. As a result, they had to take their kids, Donny and Mary Grace, to their grandparents in California, pending their time on their mission. This decision did not sit well with Mary Grace, as they were not carried along in the decision-making process. When they got to California, they were enrolled in North Elementary School. They form new friends, among whom is Penelope Li. Mary and Penelope's bond grew so strong that their classmates became jealous and reacted negatively. Mary Grace started receiving threatening notes in her bag. How were they able to address this? Get Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventure by Catherine A. Pepe.

As this book is for children, it is embedded with many lessons. It teaches good morals, respect, empathy, and how to tolerate others. One message that stood out for me was how to deal with bullies. This is a common menace in schools. It is an excellent and unique topic to discuss, especially with children.

I like that Mary Grace displayed an affectionate and sacrificial love for her brother, Donny. Even though they found themselves in unpleasant situations, she was there for him. Also, because Donny is a special needs child who requires a lot of attention, it is difficult for her to care for herself and Donny. I also liked that she was able to empathise with those who assaulted her, an attitude that's very rare but encouraging.

I will rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I gave it this rating because of its relatable events and simplicity in delivery, and the writing style is superb. It is standardly formatted. The characters are well developed, and the storyline is captivating. I like how the plot development progressed gradually, especially as Mary Grace moved from being timid to creatively deploying her ideas. She is sharp, intuitive, and compassionate. I love her character; she is very real. There is absolutely nothing to dislike about this book. It is also exceptionally edited, as I found no errors in the book.

I will recommend this book to children as they are the primary audience, elementary school teachers, and parents with kids who have disabilities. They would find this book helpful.

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Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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[Chinazo Anozie]

I have read this book, and I agree with your assessment of Mary Grace's character. Thanks for this refreshing review!

[Natalie Sheph]

I am glad that the book teaches morals, respect and support to children. Nice review.

[Maria moutsidou]

I like the way you reviewed it. It's pictured directly what's happening on this book.

[Maria moutsidou]

I like the way you reviewed it. It's pictured directly what's happening on this book.

[Judy_Akha]

Children's books are characterized by simple language and a valuable message, I think this book meets both criteria. Thank you for your wonderful review.

[Faith Ejai]

I loved the way you wrote the review. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for providing this useful information. I'm sure many will love this book.

[Maria moutsidou]

It's a nice book indeed !Thanks for your kind words about my review!

[Valeria Riveraa]

I must say I haven't seen a pure form of sibling love emitting from characters as it does from Donny and Mary Grace. I love that Mary Grace does not limit Donny to the things he can do or even consider him as disabled. I love everything about this book. Thanks for the review.