Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

Aven initially titles her blog Aven’s Random Thoughts. How do Aven’s blog posts change over the course of the novel? How do these changes reflect changes in Aven herself? What is the significance of Aven renaming her blog The Unarmed Middle Schooler’s Guide to Survival?

Why do you think Aven makes up wild stories about how she supposedly lost her arms? What are some other ways that Aven uses humor to describe and downplay her armlessness? Why do you think Aven does this, and what effects does it have?

Aven lists “awesome parents” as a must in her survival guide blog post. Why does Aven feel her parents are awesome? What is Connor’s relationship with his parents? How does it differ from Aven’s relationship with hers? How do their relationships with their parents influence how Connor and Aven feel about themselves?

In her last blog post, Aven lists important attributes of good friends, like being brave, being good listeners, being able to laugh together, and being able to love each other for who they are. How do Connor, Zion, and Aven show they are good friends to each other? Why is their friendship important?

Compare and contrast Aven and Connor. How are they similar? How are they different? Do they feel the same way about their disabilities? Why or why not? Give examples to support your opinion.

Dad tells Aven to be “a light who shines for all to see” (214). What do you think Dad means? In what ways has Aven been hiding from others? How does she decide to “shine”?

Bowling hopes that readers of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus take away a message of empathy and learn to accept others’ differences. What are some ways people exclude Connor, Aven, and Zion? How does this make them feel? What are some ways people include them? How do they experience belonging? Give evidence from the text to support your response.

Aven was adopted at age two. How does she feel about being adopted? What is Aven’s reaction to the discovery of her birth family? How does she initially feel towards Josephine? Why do her feelings change? Describe how Aven’s emotional journey over the course of the novel reflects the values she holds about the role of family.