Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus ~Dusti Bowling
Wow, talk about a book that gives you alllll the feelings. It’s no wonder that this book is so popular. Dusti Bowling gives protagonist, Aven Green, a hilariously unique and captivating voice throughout the novel which will have readers busting out laughing and speeding through chapters from the moment they pick up the book.
Middle schooler Aven is unique because, unlike just about everyone she’s ever met, Aven doesn’t have arms. And even though if you asked her, she’d probably tell you that they got ripped off in a circus accident or in some other ridiculously grotesque scenario, the truth is that she was simply born without them. And thanks to Aven’s parents, who made sure she was entirely self-sufficient, her disability never stopped her from doing the things she loves.
But when Aven’s parents move the family from Kansas, where Aven was comfortable and knew everyone at school, to a small town in Arizona to run an old theme park, Aven’s confidence and can-do attitude shrivel. Suddenly, she is the class freak and adults everywhere seem to underestimate her.
Luckily, with the help of her incredible parents, two true friends, and an unsolved mystery at the theme park, Aven begins to find her way again and learns to share her light with the world.
This will make a perfect addition to your classroom library, and it would be a wonderful read-aloud! Plus, if students love it, there’s a sequel!
Maturity: 1/4
This novel is ideal for age 10+. It contains no mature content.
Pages: 262
Lexile: HL700L
Lexile is a score that helps educators and parents match students with an appropriate text. A Lexile score is a measure of both a child’s reading ability and a text difficulty. However, Lexile does not take into account the content of a novel. So, pairing readers with a text is a complex process, and knowledge of a novel’s themes and plot is necessary to make a high-quality recommendation.
If you are curious about the grade-level equivalent to Lexile scores, check out the conversion chart here!
Happy Reading!
♥ Kara & Riley
