So I just started a really interesting new book, Stuck in Neutral, by Terry Trueman. I love the unique topic and perspective this book has so far. The protagonist is a 14 year old boy, Shawn McDaniel, who lives in Seattle, Washington. But that's not the interesting part. He has cerebal palsy, which is a condition that affects muscle control in a person's body: what does that mean? Well basically he spends his days confined to a wheelchair and he cannot do so many of the things you and I take for granted: going for a walk, picking up a fork and knife, saying "hello" to someone, even blinking is not within his control. I have only read a few chapters, but this seems to be pretty significant to the major conflict that Shawn brings forth at the end of the second chapter: he thinks his father is going to kill him.
Shawn is a fascinating character. Besides CP, he also has a secret ability. He can remember literally anything and everything he has ever seen or heard. It is a secret because he can't communicate this with anyone (Since his body and muscles are constantly working against him.) He is quite intelligent, and the story is told in the first person from the perspective of inside his mind. Inside, he is your typical 14 year old boy, outside he is looked at as a poor thing stuck in wheelchair and presumed to have very little going on inside either. He describes his family in the first couple chapters: mom and dad are divorced (which he blames himself for it) and he has a sister Cindy and a brother Paul, who we don't know very much about yet but he says are "actually pretty cool." Obviously the bombshell at the end of chapter 2 is going to be a big plot point in this story and I am excited to see how it all plays out. Shawn seems insightful in many ways, but one thing that stuck out to me was when he was talking about his dad's plan. He says "I am pretty sure that my dad is planning to kill me. The good news is that he'd be doing this out of love for me."
I know crazy right?? In under 20 pages he has managed to pull me in. I am intrigued and I want to know what is going to happen to him. I am wondering if he will be able to train himself to communicate, even just by blinking my eyes? Then people would be able to see that he is bright and understands all that is being said to him, and around him. Which brings me to another thought... Just how many awful things has he had to listen to and see because no one thought he was any the wiser? He mentions that he learned to read because his sister Cindy used to play school with him. How many of his observations were not pleasant. Like how he knows his father wants to kill him, how does he know that? What has been said around him that led him to that conclusion? Will be be able to save himself, alert someone?? I will find out soon enough, but I'm rooting for you Shawn!
Shawn is a fascinating character. Besides CP, he also has a secret ability. He can remember literally anything and everything he has ever seen or heard. It is a secret because he can't communicate this with anyone (Since his body and muscles are constantly working against him.) He is quite intelligent, and the story is told in the first person from the perspective of inside his mind. Inside, he is your typical 14 year old boy, outside he is looked at as a poor thing stuck in wheelchair and presumed to have very little going on inside either. He describes his family in the first couple chapters: mom and dad are divorced (which he blames himself for it) and he has a sister Cindy and a brother Paul, who we don't know very much about yet but he says are "actually pretty cool." Obviously the bombshell at the end of chapter 2 is going to be a big plot point in this story and I am excited to see how it all plays out. Shawn seems insightful in many ways, but one thing that stuck out to me was when he was talking about his dad's plan. He says "I am pretty sure that my dad is planning to kill me. The good news is that he'd be doing this out of love for me."
I know crazy right?? In under 20 pages he has managed to pull me in. I am intrigued and I want to know what is going to happen to him. I am wondering if he will be able to train himself to communicate, even just by blinking my eyes? Then people would be able to see that he is bright and understands all that is being said to him, and around him. Which brings me to another thought... Just how many awful things has he had to listen to and see because no one thought he was any the wiser? He mentions that he learned to read because his sister Cindy used to play school with him. How many of his observations were not pleasant. Like how he knows his father wants to kill him, how does he know that? What has been said around him that led him to that conclusion? Will be be able to save himself, alert someone?? I will find out soon enough, but I'm rooting for you Shawn!