Review of Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
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Jennifer Coxon
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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 were not what I expected from the title and cover of the book. However, I enjoyed the actual story so much more and the cover made more sense.
Donny and Mary Grace lived a happy life in Wichita where they enjoyed doing lots of things together with their parents such as going to the park and the zoo. One day, their parents are asked to go on a mission to Kenya for two years. Mary Grace and Donny are told they will be living with their Grandma and Grandpa on their ranch in California, which is received in very different ways by the two children. The story continues to experience how the siblings feel about their move, their new school and making friends. There is also some mystery-solving thrown in for Mary Grace, who is a little Nancy Drew in the making.
I liked how the author explored how children and adults react differently to situations. How some can be positive no matter what, while others can struggle to see the positive in things and how it can make a change that much harder.
I also liked that the book explored how we should give people the benefit of the doubt. We do not know what other people are experiencing or have been through and how that can make them act out. I liked that the author looked for the root of the problem and considered how to improve the situation rather than perpetuate an existing problem into something much bigger.
There was nothing to dislike about this book. There were no grammatical or typographical errors. However, I did find two instances of inconsistencies. In Chapter 4, when Mary Grace is discussing the move with her parents out of Donny’s earshot, Donny is in Mary Grace’s room playing with her stuffed animals. At one point in the conversation with her parents, Donny interrupts with an additional fact. At the end of the conversation in Chapter 5, Mary Grace goes back to her room to find Donny still playing with her stuffed animals.
The second inconsistency is in Chapter Sixteen. Grandma Cathy is about to take notes of their plans. She grabs one of the pads they normally use for their bridge game and starts writing the list. In the next sentence, “Grandma Cathy got out a pen and a legal pad and started writing.”
These are both very minor inconsistencies and as such do nothing to detract from my overall enjoyment and rating of the book. Therefore, I rate this book five out of five stars. I would recommend the book to anyone over 8 years old, particularly if they are struggling with a change or loss in their life, or even more generally, if they struggle to interact with others.
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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 were not what I expected from the title and cover of the book. However, I enjoyed the actual story so much more and the cover made more sense.
Donny and Mary Grace lived a happy life in Wichita where they enjoyed doing lots of things together with their parents such as going to the park and the zoo. One day, their parents are asked to go on a mission to Kenya for two years. Mary Grace and Donny are told they will be living with their Grandma and Grandpa on their ranch in California, which is received in very different ways by the two children. The story continues to experience how the siblings feel about their move, their new school and making friends. There is also some mystery-solving thrown in for Mary Grace, who is a little Nancy Drew in the making.
I liked how the author explored how children and adults react differently to situations. How some can be positive no matter what, while others can struggle to see the positive in things and how it can make a change that much harder.
I also liked that the book explored how we should give people the benefit of the doubt. We do not know what other people are experiencing or have been through and how that can make them act out. I liked that the author looked for the root of the problem and considered how to improve the situation rather than perpetuate an existing problem into something much bigger.
There was nothing to dislike about this book. There were no grammatical or typographical errors. However, I did find two instances of inconsistencies. In Chapter 4, when Mary Grace is discussing the move with her parents out of Donny’s earshot, Donny is in Mary Grace’s room playing with her stuffed animals. At one point in the conversation with her parents, Donny interrupts with an additional fact. At the end of the conversation in Chapter 5, Mary Grace goes back to her room to find Donny still playing with her stuffed animals.
The second inconsistency is in Chapter Sixteen. Grandma Cathy is about to take notes of their plans. She grabs one of the pads they normally use for their bridge game and starts writing the list. In the next sentence, “Grandma Cathy got out a pen and a legal pad and started writing.”
These are both very minor inconsistencies and as such do nothing to detract from my overall enjoyment and rating of the book. Therefore, I rate this book five out of five stars. I would recommend the book to anyone over 8 years old, particularly if they are struggling with a change or loss in their life, or even more generally, if they struggle to interact with others.
******
Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Judge part 1 and 2 by Ian RB Morris
