Starred Review for Kirkus 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. 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)

ALA Booklist (Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

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 t to mention support from a diverse and multigenerational adult supporting cast ad Aven past what she dubs the "Great Humiliation" to leave her both literally and figuratively back in the saddle. Though Bowling's plotline takes a more conventional course in this second outing, and she deals rather summarily with Joshua, readers will welcome back this most able of protagonists.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

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)

School Library Journal (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 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 lifethis 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