Donny, Mary Grace, and the Dognappers’
A Grandma Gang Mystery
Catherine Anna Pepe
This is a story of caring and sharing. ‘Donny, Mary Grace and the Dognappers’. The second book in the Grandma Gang Mysteries book series by Cathy Pepe follows a brother and sister who move from Kansas to California to live with their grandmother, they are part of a mystery-solving group of grannies. This story is a youth book mystery with everyone working together to find the necessary answers to why one would dognap. The story starts when Mary Grace and Donny are picked up by my grandma at school and they notice that their dogs are not present. Mary Grace, Donny, and Grandma go home and decide what to do next. Mary Grace, but especially Donny is upset with this news and just wants to go out and find them, but Grandma wants to do things in the right way and they all sit down and start planning step by step no matter how long it takes. It will take a neighborhood to solve this mystery.
This is a great book to teach young children about disabilities, bullying, and how to deal with emotions.Catherine Anna Pepe has written this youth novel that teaches that one must have courage when faced with adversity and diversity when facing obstacles that life gives you. It is also all about encouraging when needed. Also, it tells us that optimism is better than feeling sad when working through issues, as Donny, a child with Down syndrome teaches everyone else that they will succeed by sharing his ideas step by step. The book’s cover art does depict what the story will be about in a brief way. Reading the story will show how following the rules and the necessary steps and working together to share all their thoughts will solve any issue or mystery.
The Grandma Gang book series is inspired by Pepe’s late younger brother, who had Down syndrome and was the basis for the character Donny. Ten percent of net proceeds from book sales will benefit Special Olympics, an international organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive, and respected members of society through sports training and competition
About the Author
Cathy Pepe, author of the Grandma Gang book series, is a retired, lawyer, mother of two and sister to three – including the real-life Donny. Cathy began writing Mary Grace and Donny: A Grandma Gang Mystery during the COVID-19 pandemic, wanting to share stories inspired by her brother. She grew up in Lowith ng Beach, California, one of four children. While the Grandma Gang Mysteries are fiction, many of the characters and incidents were inspired by living with Donny and the rest of Cathy’s amazing family.
2022ISBN: 979-8-9863669-0-6Santa Rita Hills Publishing
Grandma Gang Mysteries – by Cathy Pepe
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Kevin
Great review! I enjoyed the book as well. Great for young readers and families – I’m excited for the next books in the Grandma Gang series. Thank you for sharing!