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Title: the best young adult novel out today
Review: Terry Trueman's "Stuck in Neutral" continued to raise the bar for young adult fiction, in the tradition of Lois Lowery's "The Giver" and similar, conscious-raising books. I was exposed to the book through a friend who teaches grades 8-12 English classes, and I could not put the book down after he loaned me his copy. The story of Shawn McDaniel is a gripping, heart-breaking tale that could be used as a metaphor for even the most able-bodied among us, especially for teenagers, many of whom probably feel confined or isolated in some way. The book also brings into question the way we, as a society, look upon disabled people, especially the severely disabled. For those who have never been in the company of a severely disabled individual, Shawn's attitude and outlook on life should break away many of the misconceptions about the disabled, and cause the reader to look past one's handicaps. This is a great read for readers of any age.
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