Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus (Life of a Cactus Series #2)

by Dusti Bowling

Overview

“High School. Two words that struck fear into the heart of every armless middle schooler I knew. Which was me. And like two people online.”
 
The sequel to the critically acclaimed Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus follows Aven Green as she confronts yet another challenge: high school.

“Those preparing to ‘slay the sucktastic beast known as high school’ will particularly appreciate this spirited read.” —Kirkus (Starred review)
 
Just as Aven starts to feel comfortable in Stagecoach Pass, with her friends and schoolmates accustomed to her lack of “armage,” everything changes once again. She’s about to begin high school . . . with 3,000 new kids to stare at her. And no matter how much Aven tries to play it cool, nothing prepares her for the reality. In a year filled with confusion, humiliation, and just maybe love, can Aven manage to stay true to herself?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454933304
Publisher:	Union Square Kids
Publication date:	09/17/2019
Series:	Life of a Cactus Series , #2
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	512,260
File size:	692 KB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Dusti Bowling holds a Bachelor of Psychology and a Master of Education. She is the author of the well-reviewed Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus and 24 Hours in Nowhere. She currently lives in Carefree, AZ, with her husband and three daughters.

Editorial Reviews

In the sequel to Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus (2017), Aven Green confronts her biggest challenge yet: surviving high school without arms. Fourteen-year-old Aven has just settled into life at Stagecoach Pass with her adoptive parents when everything changes again. She's entering high school, which means that 2,300 new kids will stare at her missing arms—and her feet, which do almost everything hands can (except, alas, air quotes). Aven resolves to be ‘blasé’ and field her classmates' pranks with aplomb, but a humiliating betrayal shakes her self-confidence. Even her friendships feel unsteady. Her friend Connor's moved away and made a new friend who, like him, has Tourette's syndrome: a girl. And is Lando, her friend Zion's popular older brother, being sweet to Aven out of pity—or something more? Bowling keenly depicts the universal awkwardness of adolescence and the particular self-consciousness of navigating a disability. Aven's ‘armless-girl problems’ realistically grow thornier in this outing, touching on such tough topics as death and aging, but warm, quirky secondary characters lend support. . . . Aven's honest, witty voice shines—whether out-of-reach vending-machine snacks are ‘taunting’ her or she's nursing heartaches. A subplot exploring Aven's curiosity about her biological father resolves with a touching twist. . . . Those preparing to ‘slay the sucktastic beast known as high school’ will particularly appreciate this spirited read.” —Kirkus (Starred review)

 “High school gets off to a rocky start for armless-but-by-no-means-helpless Aven, as supposed romantic overtures from cool new classmate Joshua turn out to be a Truth or Dare from his buddies. The sturdy self-confidence and deep-seated belief in the essential decency of others that served Aven so well in Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus (2017) are left in such rags that she skips school, tries to drive away her friends Zion and Connor, loses interest in her riding lessons, and steadfastly refuses to see signs of genuine attraction from Zion’s brother Lando. Ultimately time and events, highlighted by a hard but incentive fall from her horse and a trip to Comic-Con—not to mention support from a diverse and multigenerational adult supporting cast—lead Aven past what she dubs the ‘Great Humiliation’ to leave her both literally and figuratively back in the saddle. . . . readers will welcome back this most able of protagonists.” —Booklist
 

From the Publisher

09/20/2019

Gr 5 Up-In this sequel to Bowling's well-received middle grade debut, Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus, we return to spunky, armless heroine Aven's life—this time for the start of high school. Aven was nervous enough, but since her best friend Connor moved 30 miles away, she is even more anxious about starting in a new school with thousands of new faces. She has already dealt with students pretending to high-five her and staring openly at her "lack of armage." Will Aven be able to maintain her usual sense of humor and bright optimism? Readers familiar with the young girl and her world will relish the opportunity to see more of her friends: especially gentle and sensitive Zion whose parents started a comic book store, and home-schooled Trilby, whose effervescent energy and punk-rock sensibility mirror Aven's own. There is less of a focus on Aven's coping mechanisms in this sequel, and more of a natural, authentic shift towards highlighting her emotional changes and of those of her friends and family. Standing up to bullying, making room for long-distance friendships, and coping with an elderly friend's diminishing health are all challenges that many young readers will find familiar. Bowling deftly weaves the strands of difficult issues into a solid narrative with a punk-rock thread of humor and heart throughout. VERDICT A well-executed sequel written with humor and empathy, set in high school but perfect for upper elementary and middle school readers already familiar with the series. New readers are recommended to read the first book to fully appreciate the nuances of Aven's relationships. -Evelyn Khoo Schwartz, Holton Arms School, Bethesda, MD

School Library Journal

This is the second audiobook about Aven—who may be armless but is armed with confidence and grit, as was shown in the earlier audiobook INSIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF A CACTUS. She’s a very different heroine in this story. Listeners will again be engaged by narrator Karissa Vacker’s portrayal, especially her whip-smart, quick dialogue. She does full justice to even minor characters, especially their individual ways of expressing themselves and relating to Aven. Aven grows emotionally in this audiobook as she enters high school cautiously and is daunted by cruel and constant bullying. Vacker represents these low points with genuine-sounding sadness and fear. These moments make Aven’s return to her true and able self all the more spectacular. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2019 - AudioFile

This is the second audiobook about Aven—who may be armless but is armed with confidence and grit, as was shown in the earlier audiobook INSIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF A CACTUS. She’s a very different heroine in this story. Listeners will again be engaged by narrator Karissa Vacker’s portrayal, especially her whip-smart, quick dialogue. She does full justice to even minor characters, especially their individual ways of expressing themselves and relating to Aven. Aven grows emotionally in this audiobook as she enters high school cautiously and is daunted by cruel and constant bullying. Vacker represents these low points with genuine-sounding sadness and fear. These moments make Aven’s return to her true and able self all the more spectacular. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2019 - AudioFile

★ 2019-06-10
In the sequel to Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus (2017), Aven Green confronts her biggest challenge yet: surviving high school without arms.

Fourteen-year-old Aven has just settled into life at Stagecoach Pass with her adoptive parents when everything changes again. She's entering high school, which means that 2,300 new kids will stare at her missing arms—and her feet, which do almost everything hands can (except, alas, air quotes). Aven resolves to be "blasé" and field her classmates' pranks with aplomb, but a humiliating betrayal shakes her self-confidence. Even her friendships feel unsteady. Her friend Connor's moved away and made a new friend who, like him, has Tourette's syndrome: a girl. And is Lando, her friend Zion's popular older brother, being sweet to Aven out of pity—or something more? Bowling keenly depicts the universal awkwardness of adolescence and the particular self-consciousness of navigating a disability. Aven's "armless-girl problems" realistically grow thornier in this outing, touching on such tough topics as death and aging, but warm, quirky secondary characters lend support. A few preachy epiphanies notwithstanding, Aven's honest, witty voice shines—whether out-of-reach vending-machine snacks are "taunting" her or she's nursing heartaches. A subplot exploring Aven's curiosity about her biological father resolves with a touching twist. Most characters, including Aven, appear white; Zion and Lando are black.

Those preparing to "slay the sucktastic beast known as high school" will particularly appreciate this spirited read. (Fiction. 12-14)

Kirkus Reviews