Down Right Good by Karen Kelly Boyce Reviewed by Nancy Ward

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The award-winning “Down Right Good” tells the poignant adventures of ten-year-old Angie who was born with Down syndrome, a limited vocabulary and the ability to see angels. She bikes around her town, delivering the weekly community tabloid, seeing the pain in the people who live at each stop. Their stories of abuse and bitterness, unforgiveness and self-hatred, loneliness and grief, bullying and sacrifice, are woven into the events of one Saturday. Whatever hurt she finds, she names it, and she speaks simple truths with almost heavenly insight. Not everyone can accept her frank evaluation.
Author Karen Kelly Boyce based the protagonist on a childhood acquaintance. Her character, Moma, who is raising Angie and her older brother, embodies all those grandmothers faithfully caring for a second generation. The theme of the book centers on the third joyful mystery, the birth of Christ, as Karen presents the joy of the good news of salvation. She weaves the truth of the Catholic Church into many situations with no preaching.
Karen begins each chapter with a scripture verse. Yes, that is essential to her theme, but I found myself returning to that verse when I finished each chapter. Maybe I needed that verse again to consider its implications to the characters and to my life.
 Read more about Angie on JOYAlive.net

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