“There’s a big difference between saying you’re disabled and saying you’re incapable.”

It’s clear why this book was included in my daughter’s Battle of the Books reading material. It was a fun, touching story about thirteen-year-old Aven Green, who was born without arms and must face the challenges of moving to a new city and attending a new school.

Dusti Bowling establishes her characters’ humor within the first few pages of the novel. This humor holds throughout the story. How can you not enjoy Aven’s creative stories about how she lost her arms? Or appreciate her list of twenty reasons why its fantastic to not have arms?

What I appreciate in Insignificant Events is how the author and main characters use their humor to deftly handle their challenges. Bowling walks the line of using this humor to aid her characters and support, not mock them.

The book explores kids with other disabilities such as Tourette’s and OCD. And a kid with body issues. Bowling’s writing is kind but straightforward, and she gives these kids a voice and an invaluable glimpse into their experiences.

Aven’s story provides a unique perspective on how to navigate not only life armless but people’s ignorance. The friendships she develops, the mystery she solves, and the obstacles she overcomes makes her a singular hero.

A brilliant book for young and mature audiences!

Learn more about Dusti Bowling’s book on Goodreads: Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus