9780062234704
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Stuck in Neutral audiobook

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Stuck in Neutral Audiobook Summary

This “intense reading experience”* is a Printz Honor Book.

Shawn McDaniel’s life is not what it may seem to anyone looking at him. He is glued to his wheelchair, unable to voluntarily move a muscle–he can’t even move his eyes. For all Shawn’s father knows, his son may be suffering. Shawn may want a release. And as long as he is unable to communicate his true feelings to his father, Shawn’s life is in danger.

To the world, Shawn’s senses seem dead. Within these pages, however, we meet a side of him that no one else has seen–a spirit that is rich beyond imagining, breathing life.

*Booklist starred review

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Stuck in Neutral Audiobook Narrator

Johnny Heller is the narrator of Stuck in Neutral audiobook that was written by Terry Trueman

Terry Trueman grew up in the northern suburbs of Seattle, Washington. He attended the University of Washington, where he received his BA in creative writing. He also has an MS in applied psychology and an MFA in creative writing, both from Eastern Washington University.

Terry is also the author of Stuck in Neutral and its companion novel, Cruise Control; Hurricane; 7 Days at the Hot Corner; No Right Turn; and Inside Out.

About the Author(s) of Stuck in Neutral

Terry Trueman is the author of Stuck in Neutral

Subjects

The publisher of the Stuck in Neutral is HarperCollins. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Juvenile Fiction, Social Issues, Special Needs

Additional info

The publisher of the Stuck in Neutral is HarperCollins. The imprint is HarperCollins. It is supplied by HarperCollins. The ISBN-13 is 9780062234704.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Reading_

February 12, 2023

I am so glad I came across this book while browsing and browsing for books. This is a short middle grade book dealing with disability with parents “struggling” and really having it hard while trying to look after every need of their kids who are differently abled.Now did I rate this book a perfect five stars? No, of course not. But I would want another reader to pick up this book, think about it, feel bad and feel provoked, speak about the parents who seem so wrong and who seem helpless in whatever they decide to do about their kids. I know people will absolutely hate this book regarding the parents and their behaviour, actually might be seen as heartless characters. I would like others to see all these and feel what I felt while reading this book!There’s absolutely one thing we should all not really like this father. But also I feel the opinion expressed in the plot is valid for discussion. However, I still feel it’s a bit heartless and hurtful to even think about it.I want to rate this book no lesser than three stars to four stars thinking about all these issues.There’s a lot of bullying as well. And there aren’t any character to like. They are just as real as they are.But I like this book as the representation of the main character is done well and their personality is quite understandable. It’s a well written book told from the perspective of a differently abled younger person.If I need to write a proper essay I would do so.

Ellen

July 08, 2008

Incredible book! Terry Trueman is a REAL author.

Aj

June 30, 2016

I didn’t know that this book was so controversial until I Googled it. People actually believe that this novel is proof that the author wants to murder his disabled son. I’m sorry, but that seems idiotic. If authors were as twisted as their characters, Stephen King would have been in prison 30 years ago. Books can’t be written in a vacuum. All authors are inspired by real life. Just because there are similarities between this book and the author’s life doesn’t mean that somebody’s going to get murdered. Be reasonable, people.Okay. Stuck in Neutral is the story of fourteen-year-old Shawn, a boy with cerebral palsy. Shawn has no control over his body. He can’t move or speak. Since he has no way to communicate, he’s trapped inside his own head. Shawn’s father worries that Shawn’s condition is causing him pain that he’s unable to express. As Shawn’s father becomes more obsessed with his son’s possible pain, Shawn starts to wonder if his father is planning on killing him.The summary makes this book sound intense—and it is—but it’s also surprisingly hilarious. The novel is written in first-person, so the reader gets to hear all of the thoughts that Shawn is unable to say. He’s very blunt about his situation:“There is one final bad-news punch line to my life. This bad news is complicated, difficult to explain. In a nutshell, it’s that I am pretty sure that my dad is planning to kill me. The good news is that he’d be doing this out of his love for me. The bad news is that whatever the wonderfulness of his motives, I’ll be dead.” – Stuck in NeutralShawn’s life is not completely miserable. He acknowledges that his medical problem has some benefits. For example, he gets to see his sister’s friends change clothes at a sleepover because they don’t think he can understand what’s going on. Additionally, his seizures cause a dreamlike, floating feeling that makes him calm and happy. He’s taught himself to enjoy the little things in life.“Think about it: Why should we care whether what makes us happy is just an electrical impulse in our brain or something funny that we see some fool do on TV? Does it matter what makes you smile? Wouldn't you rather be happy for no reason than unhappy for good reasons?” - Stuck in NeutralShawn’s sense of humor and positive attitude help tone down the intensity of the book. I actually had a lot of fun reading it.My only big criticism is that this novel is very short. My copy is only about 115 pages. I think it could have benefitted from being longer. Shawn doesn’t have an action-packed existence, but I wondered about the other people in his life. Shawn’s mother is his full-time caregiver, but we barely see her. He has a brother and sister who we don't learn much about.I also had mixed feelings about Shawn’s acceptance of his father’s (possible) murder plan. Realistically, Shawn has no choice but to accept it. He can’t communicate, and he can’t fight. If his father decides to murder him, he’s going to die, but I think that Shawn’s suspicion of the murder plot should have caused more angst.Stuck in Neutral was first published in 2001 and was a major influence in the teen “problem novel” genre. It won awards and got a lot of people talking. It’s a brave and thought-provoking book. It confronts taboo subjects that make some readers uncomfortable, such as euthanasia and the rights of severely disabled children and their parents. Even though these topics are unpleasant to discuss, they’re important.This book made me think about how able-bodied people project their feelings onto the severely disabled. I don’t know any severely disabled people in real life, so I’ve never thought about this before. Shawn’s father sees Shawn’s seizures and assumes that they’re painful. He assumes that Shawn’s cerebral palsy prevents him from enjoying life. In reality, Shawn isn’t bothered by his seizures, and he has developed a unique way of connecting to the world. This book shows that you can’t make assumptions about a person. Just because someone is disabled doesn’t mean that he/she is suffering.This is a quick and powerful read with an exceptional protagonist. I need to find more books like this one.

Esmeralda

April 03, 2009

Stuck in neutral is a short but moving book. although this book might not be the hardest or the longest the meaning of this book is very strong. this book can be read by adults, teenagers and children. this book is for all ages becuase it shows us the importance of life to a person that you may think is useless. the book is about a young boy named Shawn who has cerebral palsy. although many people think that he can't do anything or think for himself they are wrong. Shawn is actually a very smart boy but because of his condition many people don't see it. His father loves him a lot. His father doesn't like to see shawn this way and many times he thinks about killing him but never does. Shawn knows that his father wants to kill him but can't do anything about it. on the last page of the book we have shawn and his father alone and in the fathers hand there is a pillow. it osn't clear wether the father kills shawn or if he doesn't. i liked this book becuase it made me care more about people that have this condition. many people may think that just becuase they suffer of this condition they aren't the same as us. It made me see that although they might not act or look the same these people are still humans and have the same feelings and may have more emotions than we do. so for all you readers if you want to read something short read Stuck in Neutral becuase it will leave you a valuable lesson in life to appriciate what you have and me kind to others.

David

October 02, 2008

Stuck in Neutral takes an uncomfortable subject and tries to shed some light on what might be happening. It is about a boy who is so severely retarded that all he seems to be able to do is have seizures. And yet he loves his seizures because they are his chance to get out of his body and visit other places. He also is upset with his father for winning an award for writing about dealing with a severely retarded son, yet not really wanting to have the son. It allowed me to see life from a very different perspective.

Kendra

August 14, 2008

A fantastic book that really makes you think! Shawn has cerebral palsy and can't communicate with anyone. Told from his viewpoint, the reader learns about Shawn's feelings, dreams, and also his fear that his father wants to kill him. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. I will be recommending this one to any and all.

Hannah

September 01, 2016

This book definitely makes you think. It's for young adults, yes, but I imagine adults will be able to connect to the father in entirely different ways than teenagers can. I've used this novel for book clubs before and it always sparks strong discussion. The topic (an intelligent child trapped in his own body, unable to communicate with the world, and a father who wonders if his son might not be better off dead) is surely controversial enough to cause a room full of readers to voice their opinions. Its short length--only around 100 pages--is appealing to reluctant readers too.

Zach

June 03, 2008

I liked this book because it would be hard to realize what Shawn sees and can't do nothing about anything. I would recommend this book to everybody. At first I didn't like reading and once I started it became easier to read and get a book done but still this book is a very good book and it made me realize that my messed up life isn't really messed up because I can do alot more things than Shawn every could and thats all I have to say about this book.....oh and the book is curious as you read through it chapter by chapter.

Adam

November 10, 2017

Personal Response: I really liked the book, Stuck In Neutral, a lot. It was one of the best books that I have ever read. I will definitely rate this book five stars on Goodreads, because it was one of the best books I have ever read. It was also a great way to learn the perspective from someone who has a mental condition. I hope to read the second book to learn more about main character, Shawn, and what happens to him later in his life.Plot: The book, Stuck In Neutral, was a great story that makes the reader think more about what it is like having mental conditions, such as the ones Shawn has. The book takes place in Seattle, at Shawn's house. Shawn is a retarded kid that knows more than anyone would ever think. He just cannot show any signs of not being a complete vegetable, and it makes it hard for him. He still has feelings like a normal human being. It also makes it harder on the reader to know both sides and know that he is okay. This term is called dramatic irony when the reader or characters know something that the main character does not know. In the book, the reader knows that Shawn can hear and understand everything going on, but his dad does not know. This is why Shawn's dad wants to end his son's suffering that does not exist. He is a smart kid stuck in a useless body, and that makes the reader feel bad for him. It also makes the reader think of other kids with similar conditions. He can understand most things very well, but cannot communicate with anyone to prove he is okay. The whole book is from Shawn's point of view, as he tells the reader about how it is living this life. Characterization: The main character of the book is Shawn. He's a 14 year old boy with a mental condition of being a retard. He is very smart, but nobody knows because he cannot talk or show any sign of understanding. Shawn has seizures and his family thinks they are horrible, but he actually likes them. He said that it takes him away from all the bad things he thinks about during the day. Throughout the whole book Shawn says he will be flying or soaring in the sky, as he knows his dad talks about ending his suffering. He still is not sure if he should end his son's life or not. He loves his son so much and that's why his dad is questioning if he should kill him throughout the book. Shawn's dad is a famous person who is always on the news and had wrote a famous poem about Shawn. He is very loving towards Shawn, but he does not know how to help. Shawn's dad has a hard time controlling his emotions throughout the book and does not know what to do. This is why his dad wants to end Shawn's suffering, not knowing that Shawn is truly ok. Setting The book takes place in Seattle, but that's not very important to the story. The book is all from Shawn’s perspective in his house, and stories of his life. He sits at home throughout the whole book, because he is stuck in a wheelchair. The book takes place in a modern day time frame, because Shawn talks about his siblings learning in school. Shawn also talks about the news he sees and hears on television. Shawn also what explains things he sees and describes throughout the book. He learns about what different kinds of phrases mean. The book is all from Shawn's point of view, so there is a lot of describing what his life is like and what is around him. Recommendations: I would recommend this book to any guy or girl who likes to read about realistic fiction. I finished this book very quickly, because I was very interested in the topic. Any guy or girl would like to read this book if he or she wants a short, great book. I would recommend this book to any guy or girl in middle school and up, because a younger child may not understand as well as an older kid.

Benjamin

March 28, 2017

Stuck in Neutral was a very odd book. It was a cool idea, to kind of give an inside look at the mind of someone who everyone thinks is incompetent. It is cool also to give them such an obvious personality, like an actual 14 year old boy, instead of some intense genius that was trapped in an inhospitable body. The only problem I found with it is that the seizures don't make any sense to me. The only purpose I can see to them in the book is to make sure that Shawn doesn't narrate everything and give the ending away, even though I'm pretty sure that we all know the unfortunate ending. It could be seen as a way of him to deal with his condition, and be able to breathe free every once in a while, but it just seems to add a disturbing odd detail to the story that I don't really feel is necessary to the story line. Over all it was a good insight into the families of these children, and an interesting idea, but some of it didn't quite make sense to me.

Lou

November 17, 2021

Very thought-provoking and inspires compassion for anyone who is unable to express the circumstances they live in. We become better human beings when we work to understand others who are not like us.In some or even many cases, we cannot walk in the moccasins of another but we can still strive for better understanding than we already have.--Wag--

Kristi

April 02, 2017

This is an intense story from the point of view of a teenage boy trapped inside his body by cerebral palsy. No one, including his family, knows he is aware and intelligent. It was disturbing to imagine what it would be like to be that alone.

Bridget

September 25, 2017

Small but very well formed, I can see why this book won prizes when it first came out.

Jeff

November 25, 2018

Quick read on a topic that I’ve not read much about... the relationships in a family with a son who has profound physical handicaps.

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