Beginning ~ with the whole truth

Chapter 1

The Whole Truth

Most people don't realize it, but there are a lot of mysteries to solve in elementary school.  I'm only in the third grade,  but I've been solving mysteries for a really, really, really long time — one whole month.

Aven Green: Sleuthing Machine ~ by Dusti Bowling, illustrated by Gina Perry, 2021, children's chapter book, 9/10

Third-grader Aven Green has been solving mysteries for a whole month — cracking such cases as The Mystery of the Cranky Mom.  But when her teacher’s lunch bag disappears and her great-grandma’s dog goes missing, will she be able to tackle two cases at the same time?  Fortunately, since she was born without arms, all the “arm” cells were directed to her super-powered brain instead — at least, that's this clever detective's theory.  Surely Aven's sleuthing skills are up to the challenge.

The story of little third-grade Aven as a sleuthing machine follows a pair of earlier books about her.  Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus (2017) begins with 13-year-old Aven explaining how she and her parents moved from Kansas to Arizona.  She was enrolled in a new school where nobody knew her.  She struggled to make new friends, but the kids can't seem to see past her missing arms.  Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus (2019) follows Aven to high school with 2,300 new kids to stare at her.

Here's the author with a couple of women without arms.  Jessica Cox is on the left, Dusti Bowling in the middle, and Letisha Wexstton on the right.  This article shares how the author decided to write about a girl with no arms.

Gilion at Rose City Reader hosts 

Book Beginnings on Fridays.