Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus (Volume 1)

As I was finishing this up, I saw a post reminding me that July is Disability Pride Month. How fitting that I found a copy at Bookman's and was in the mood for realistic fiction to balance out the other two fantasy-horror books I'm reading -- it's rare that I buy a book and read it in the same month. This one has been on my radar for a few years because it takes place in the Phoenix metro area and is based on a Western theme park that I visited on my first trip to AZ when I was 14. One of the young cowboy actors flirted with teen me (as part of the show) and my brother-in-law teased me for days. That location, Rawhide in Scottsdale, closed in 2005 and moved to Chandler. The land around Scottsdale was simply worth too much not to sell. show more It's always fun to know the setting of a book, like KNOW it because you live there. Since the author grew up in Scottsdale, she is spot-on with her depiction of living in the desert.

Aven Green moves to the fictional Stagecoach Pass the summer before 8th Grade - can you imagine moving to a new place in middle school and you also don't have arms?! (Aven's stories about why she doesn't have arms are HILARIOUS.) Aven makes friends with a couple of other kids who have their own issues fitting in to the middle school scene. Since I am not missing arms, nor have Tourette's, I can't say if this book accurately reflects life with those disabilities, but as a reader, the characters felt authentic. This book does not sugarcoat life with a disability, the characters struggle, they have real problems (Connor's dad is the biggest POS). It also doesn't make disability a death sentence and the characters grow across the book, opening themselves up, facing fears. There's even a little mystery Aven and her Scooby Gang attempt to solve when she finds a locked door with loads of files. show less

Oof. I can say two good things about this. 1) I liked Conner and thought it was great to see (what I assume to be) a well-written MG character with Tourette's. I know next-to-nothing about TS and appreciated the introduction. 2) Reading this made me miss my old MG book club I led when I was a children's librarian. Some of our best discussions and activities surrounded books that highlighted disability, and I think my kiddos would have really gotten into this book.

I am a fan of middle grade fiction and am used to zany plots--even in realistic fiction--that require me to suspend belief for a spell. That said, I found a few really troubling things happening in this book. First, there was a lot of super binary and regressive language being show more thrown around. It slapped me in the face first when Aven said that, in her parents insistence on her figuring out how to use her feet, they told her she had to "be a man." This kept popping up in places throughout the book--nothing that steered the plot off-course, but enough to be jarring in the age of We Need Diverse Books.

I also found the lack of consent incredibly disturbing. It happened so frequently in major, major ways. Aven's mom suggesting she take Conner and Aven to a TS support group without telling his mother. Surprising Conner with a trip to the movie theater which was very obviously a major source of trauma for him. Oh haha, but it's all good because Aven's mom was a psych major in college and knows what's fundamentally best for a child she's barely spent any time with and certainly not in any therapeutic capacity. We live in a world that largely does not understand consent, disability, or mental health; it is so common for vulnerable populations are frequently taken advantage of in these do-gooder ways; and these instances perpetuate some very damaging notions. I'll also add that Aven appeared to be more interested in attending the support group than Conner did for her own selfish purposes, all of which seemed to really contribute to her taking on a savior complex like her mother.

Lastly, I found the whole adoption scenario troubling. I do not have first-hand experience with adoption, but I do have some friends who were adopted and other friends who have given up their children for adoption. None of that story rang true to how adoption actually works, and the fact that Josephine went to such extreme lengths as she did not only seems entirely improbable, but it is a jaw-droppingly horrendous invasion of privacy and a level of gas-lighting I do not find cute or sweet. If I were Aven's parents, I'd get the heck out of Dodge Stagecoach Whatever ASAP and maybe consider a restraining order. That's some creepy stuff there.

I had some other quibbles, many of which other reviewers have mentioned, but these were the most striking. I only kept on with it because I held out hope that at least some of it would be addressed in the end. Nope. The way this book was presented felt more like a way to capitalize on the growing representation of people with disabilities in children's literature than an earnest, healthy way of exploring disability. As I mentioned at the beginning, I would have loved to discuss this with my old book club, but I would have tried to help readers understand how much of what happened in this book was inappropriate. show less

It’s a sweet, touching, funny book (with a totally fairy-tale ending), that felt a little lightweight ultimately. I’m also cautious to recommend it to kids without knowing what the author’s research process was about living with no arms or with Tourette’s, and whether she employed sensitivity readers. She mentions nothing in her acknowledgments.

I really really love this book. The protagonist is funny, witty, and smart. If you love books with a strong female lead and want to laugh then this is the book for you!

In some ways, Aven Green is your typical middle-schooler. In other ways, she's not. Aven was born without arms. However, she's able to do everything everybody else does including helping out around the house, painting, even playing the guitar. Although simple things like buttoning her pants might take up to thirty minutes, she's still able to do it. When people ask questions about her missing arms, Aven takes it as an opportunity to tell a funny story.

When Aven's parents take a job opportunity at a western themed park all the way in Arizona, Aven goes with them. She show more knows her life is about to be changed. But will it be changed for the good, or worse?

This book feels also very similar to the book Fish In a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. (check out my review for Fish In a Tree here! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4874908057 ) I definitely think audiences of all ages will enjoy this book. show less

This book does such a great job of helping both children and adults understand disabilities so much better! It’s one of those stories that makes you laugh and learn at the same time.

The story revolves around Aven, a girl born without arms, and the author does a brilliant job of sharing Aven’s experiences in a way that’s informative and approachable.

Aven's friends include Connor, who has Tourette’s Syndrome, and Zion, who is an overweight kid (and a bit of a super-nerd). Together, they form a bond that’s heartwarming, hilarious, and just so real. You’ll find yourself rooting for this trio as they tackle life’s challenges and support each other through thick and thin!

I love how with Connor, readers get a glimpse into what show more it’s like living with Tourette’s. His character just feels so authentic, and you can’t help but admire his bravery. I would’ve loved to see the story told from Connor’s perspective as well!

I also really appreciate Aven’s relationship with her parents. They’re caring, honest, and supportive without being overbearing.

The mystery element involves Aven’s family history and a quirky theme park. However, it didn’t grab me as much as the friendships did. Also, the adoption angle could’ve been handled with a bit more depth.

Overall, Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus is an inspiring, laugh-out-loud, and eye-opening read. If you’re looking for a story that celebrates diversity and friendship while also teaching you something new, this one’s a must-read. The audiobook is fantastic, by the way. show less

A great addition to any library.

Aven Green is a spunky, witty, and adventurous thirteen-year-old girl who happened to be born with no arms. When her dad gets a job managing a run-down western-themed theme park in Arizona, Aven has to leave all her friends and start over, knowing that new people don’t know how to react to her disability. Things are lonely at first, until she meets Connor, a boy with Tourette’s, and the two of them hit it off. Then one day, whilst exploring the theme park, they come across a mystery, one Aven is determined to solve while trying to fit in to her new school and helping her new best friend with his problems.

What I liked: great protagonist! Aven tackles the reality of her disability with both honesty and show more humor. All the characters were unique and colorful. It’s a wonderful way to teach kids empathy toward kids different than them, and a great source of inspiration for all kids (and adults).

What I didn’t like: not much! It was a tad predictable, but that in no way detracted from the fun of the book.

5 out of 5 stars show less

What a pleasant surprise! I bought this to give to our daughter for her 4th grade classroom library, but wanted to read it first. Aven, born without arms and adopted at age two, is gutsy, likable and very human. She's learned to do most of the things any kid would do by using her feet. Even so, moving from Kansas, where everyone is used to her lack of arms, to Arizona where her dad got a new job, creates a new set of fears and anxieties. How she deals with them, helps her parents turn a decrepit theme park around, solve a mystery and make new friends makes for a very satisfying read. It's going to be a great addition to my daughter's classroom library and deserves a place in many, many others.