Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
This is a must read if you like middle school or upper elementary chapter books. I absolutely loved it! The twist in the book made it even more remarkable but the two main characters made this book outstanding.
Aven was born without her arms. Her parents did not consider this a hardship but rather felt she was special because she could do things with her feet that other individuals couldn’t. Aven liked to make-up stories about how she lost her arms and scare her audience, all the while humoring herself. Her stories were crafty and humorous and I laughed as I read how she terrorized those around her. She tried to put light in a dark, awkward situation.
When Aven and her family moves, she is now put in the spotlight. No longer blending in with a familiar crowd, Aven is now the new girl: the new girl that is different from everyone else. She meets Conor at school. From the beginning, I enjoyed the character of Conor. Conor and Aven were similar in many ways yet they each were different, enough to cause some commotion in this book.
Conor has Tourette’s Syndrome which supplies him with a variety of nervous ticks. With being a new student himself last year, Conor still hasn’t made any lasting friendships. When Aven begins talking to him and explains that her family lives at the nearby theme park, Conor is thrilled as he likes that park. You can feel the connection between these two, spark.
What is interesting is the differences and the similarities between Aven and Conor? They both have disabilities and know what it is like to have peers treat them differently but how they handle their illness is a serious matter. Aven has an optimistic outlook, with her parents encouraging her whereas Conor’s outlook isn’t. Conor’s parents are divorced and I felt as if Conor was trying to handle life on his own. This difference becomes complicated when Aven tries to help Conor and they both get hurt.
They try to solve a mystery that they uncover at the theme park which was something fun the two of them do together. The twist in this mystery was fantastic and if you followed the story, there were clues that you could have put together to help solve it.
I really enjoyed this book. Capturing both a funny and serious side, this book takes a look at family and friendship. I highly recommend it.
