1. Find out all you can about cerebral palsy, the affliction that Shawn suffers from—what causes it, how it affects people, and how people deal with it.

2. The topic of euthanasia is very controversial and has long been so. Create an argument for one side or another of the question, using research to support your position.

3. Read another book about how a "special person" feels and lives, such as A Special Kind of Hero by Chris Burke and Jo Beth McDaniel (Dell, 1991), which tells about a young man with Down's syndrome. Write a review of the book you read.

4. Create an annotated bibliography of young adult books about adolescents with mental or physical disabilities.

5. Discuss the ways "special" students are integrated into your school. How are they treated? Interview several teachers and other students to find out what they think. Has your own attitude changed as a result of reading Stuck in Neutral?

6. Find two or three of Terry Trueman's poems, write them down, and discuss your thoughts on them.

7. Create a travel itinerary for a visit to Seattle, Washington. What would you want to see and do? Find pictures to accompany your plan.