Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman (1947-present). Published by Harper Collins in 2000. This book won the Printz Honor in 2001, along with 38 other awards and top book list picks.
This short novel follows the life of Shawn McDaniel, a 14-year old boy with Cerebral Palsy. This condition leaves Shawn trapped inside his own head, as an intelligent boy able to remember everything he has ever seen, heard, or smelled, but incapable of brain function allowing him to communicate anything. Shawn's father left the family because he wasn't able to cope with the condition, and Shawn now believes that his father is planning to kill him. His father's sentiments are primarily expressed through his Pulitzer prize winning poem about Shawn. We walk with Shawn as he learns about life and family and how to cope with knowledge only in his head.
The text deals with ideas of family, love, and sacrifice, along with the trials of growing up being different.
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