Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

Author: Dusti Bowling

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Young Adult, Disability

Synopsis:

“Aven is a perky, hilarious, and inspiring protagonist whose attitude and humor will linger even after the last page has turned.” — School Library Journal (Starred review)

The paperback edition of the bestselling middle grade novel about a spunky girl born without arms and a boy with Tourette syndrome navigating the challenges of middle school, disability, and friendship—all while solving a mystery in a western theme park.

Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again.

Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.

Autumn 2017 Kids’ Indie Next Pick
Junior Library Guild Selection
Library of Congress's 52 Great Reads List 2018

Format: Paperback, 288 pages

Setting: United States

Series: Life of a Cactus (#1)

Awards: South Carolina Book Award for Junior Book (2020), Grand Canyon Reader Award for Tween Fiction (2020), Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award for Grades 6-8 (2020), Beehive Book Award for Children's Fiction (2020), Vermont Golden Dome Book Award for (2019), Evergreen Teen Book Award for Middle School (2020), Indian Paintbrush Book Award for None (2019), William Allen White Children's Book Award for Grades 3–5 (2020), Bluestem Book Award for None (2020), Volunteer State Book Award for Intermediate (3-5) (2020), Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award for (2020)

Goodreads Rating: 4.28

*This book is pre-loved, but has been carefully looked through to ensure it is not missing any pages and is in good condition. All visible flaws have been documented in the product photos.