DONNY AND MARY GRACE GO TO CAMP

Fifth grader Mary Grace and her 5-year-old brother, Donny, who has Down syndrome, are heading to Whispering Oaks Ranch camp in California for the first time. Their parents—an Episcopal priest and a civil engineer—are currently spending two years in Kenya “bringing faith to a small village and ensuring they had clean water.” Mary Grace and Donny have helped to solve several mysteries alongside their caregiver, Grandma Cathy and her friends La Shana and Elizabeth; a local newspaper famously dubbed them the Grandma Gang. But the siblings discover that the mysteries don’t stop just because they’re away at camp. While enjoying simple pleasures, such as roasting marshmallows and learning the basics of hiking safety, Mary Grace investigates a suspicious infestation of frogs in the girls’ cabin that she thinks might be the result of a prank. Despite Donny’s initial reluctance to go away to camp, he acclimates nicely to his new surroundings and learns to shoot a bow and arrow. The short novel culminates in a tense (but not scary) evacuation of the camp due to a spreading wildfire. When Kellan, a camper, goes missing, Mary Grace must solve her greatest mystery yet in order to find him so that all the kids can safely escape. The story ends with a surprising reunion that neatly wraps up this latest series entry but leaves plenty of room for more tales to come.  

Although Mary Grace takes the spotlight in this go-round, there are plenty of life lessons to be learned from the Grandma Gang, even in their brief appearances. At one point, for instance, Elizabeth, who teaches karate lessons at the camp, reminds an emotionally struggling Kellan: “That’s why we learn karate, Kellan. Not to hurt people, not to hurt the world, but to take care of ourselves if anything ever happens that might hurt us.” When the kids take a trip to look at ancient Chumash cave paintings, readers learn real-life facts about Chumash history and culture. Pepe also expertly tackles the topic of bullying when it’s revealed that some campers took advantage of Donny’s naïveté; this ends up being a key element of a mystery. There are religious elements scattered throughout, from the mention of the siblings’ parents’ missionary trip to a brief discussion about praying for first responders. The latter is followed by Donny’s appreciation for the rain, which helped put out the fire: “And God made the rain happen.” Athari’s basic, black-and-white sketches of various scenes announce the start of each chapter. The book’s simple sentences, short chapters, and brief page count make it ideal for readers in late elementary and early middle school. Those who have family members or friends with Down syndrome will particularly appreciate Pepe’s sensitive and nuanced portrayal of Donny in this enjoyable, bighearted story.