Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus

Aven prepares for her first day of high school, briefly recapping events from the year before, and alluding to events that will happen in the upcoming year, including a DNA revelation, horseback riding, and getting her first kiss. Aven’s parents moved the family from Kansas to Arizona to run Stagecoach Pass, a western-themed fun park. Aven had a difficult time emotionally adjusting to her new school because she was born without arms, though she is self-sufficient and independent. Aven has two good friends: Connor, a boy with Tourette Syndrome, and Zion, an African American boy who is sensitive about his heavier weight. The trio helped each other gain self-confidence and survive middle school, but now Connor attends a different high school, something Aven did not foresee happening. She feels that the power of their friendship is diminished without Connor’s presence.

Aven courageously wears a green tank top instead of a sleeved shirt that would hide her armlessness. She plans to be “blasé” and indifferent to the small cruelties of others, like when kids throw her something to catch, give her a Ring Pop, or offer to high-five her. Aven refuses to let people get her upset. She has many people on her team, including her loving adoptive parents, the employees of Stagecoach Pass, and her new friend