70 pages 2 hours read

Dusti Bowling

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2017

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Important Quotes

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“I suppose if they had always done everything for me, I would be helpless without them. But they didn’t, and I’m not.” 


(Chapter 1, Page 3)

From the opening pages, Aven expresses her self-sufficiency and credits her parents with teaching her to be independent. Aven is confident in her ability to do anything. This quote highlights Aven’s can-do personality and the theme of the importance of family support.

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“By the time we arrived, Dad’s eyes looked like Atomic Fireballs and Mom’s hair looked like she’d taken a spin in a hairspray cyclone.”


(Chapter 2, Page 11)

Aven frequently peppers her colorful descriptions with comical similes, revealing both her creative imagination and her sense of humor.

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“Before I’d walked five steps, I got my first look.”


(Chapter 4, Page 19)

Aven is sensitive to the different types of stares she gets from other people that make her feel self-conscious and excluded. Looks are an important symbol, representing the challenge that Aven and others with disabilities face in getting others to accept their differences.