Mary Grace Miller and her family went to the zoo, but her brother Donny (a five-year-old boy

with Down
syndrome) was lost in the zoo. Fast forward: Mr. Miller is a priest and has a missionary call for Africa with
his wife. The two children will be staying in California for two years, in their grandparents' house, and
leaving Wichita is quite hard for them. Mary Grace's parents wanted her to always stay positive for the
sake of Donny. In the school in California, a problem arises involving Mary Grace and Donny. Will the
siblings overcome this dilemma? How will the grandma gang help with this problem?

Donny and Mary Grace's California Adventures by Catherine A. Pepe is the story of two kids who transfer
to California because their parents have a missionary journey to Africa. It's a great book for kids to
understand responsibility, acceptance, kindness, and forgiveness. This is also a guidebook on how to deal
with bullying in children who need extra care, like those with Down syndrome. It has a great strategy for
helping kids, especially if punishment and discipline matter.

I admired a lot of this book. First, I like the list of good things about the place you will be missing and the
wonderful things you will experience. Those moments will remind you of the joyous celebration while you
are there. Second, I like the clipart drawings embedded randomly in the chapters. It's a simple way of
showing kids the most important part of the story. Third, I appreciate the idea of letting your child reason
out and think of possible solutions to difficult situations.

I'm a little confused when, in some instances, Mary Grace was called "boy" by her mother and grandpa.
Plus, the idea that I least like is letting your 10-year-old girl and 5-year-old boy travel without a companion
to another place. This idea doesn't affect my 5 out of 5 stars rating for this book. Why? I don't see any
errors because the book is exceptionally well edited. Furthermore, I like the way Donny (who isn't a
normal child) is introduced as always enthusiastic and happy. His character is quite awesome with the help
of good people around him like his teachers, friends, and family. Moreover, Mary Grace's emotions look
realistic, as I can remember my childhood memories when I'm leaving my parents. It's both sad and
exciting because "it wasn't easy to be happy" when you are out of your comfort zone. The typical response
of a child or their reasoning about the mission is quite true.

Furthermore, I recommend this book to the teachers who are teaching elementary students because they
can relate to the topic of dealing with children who are also problematic at home. Parents who want to
know more about the seriousness of bullying are very welcome to read this book. Kids are vulnerable to
bullying even if they have a physically fit body. Lastly, anyone who wants to read a bedtime story to their
kids will find this book noteworthy.