Is The Inappropriate Reading Level For Stuck In Neutral?

Ever wondered what it was like to have so much to say, yet no one to say it to? Welcome to Shawn’s world. He is a teenager plagued with cerebral palsy. Blessed with the gift of a perfect memory, he can remember everything that has happened to him. However with his condition, he has no way of expressing his feelings in any way. The suggested reading level for Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman is put at 6.7, meaning this book is appropriate for the sixth grade. Yet in this novel, quantitative elements, inappropriate content, and the reader’s task would necessitate a more mature reader in the grade levels of seventh through ninth.
One large factor in deciding on who should be reading this novel is by referring to the quantitative elements of the
This is no excepting for Stuck in Neutral. Vulgar language is found all too often in the text that most parents would be outraged to have their sixth grade children be saying, let alone reading. Though it may add characterization for the characters, it is not fitting in the least for the proposed audience. This is the biggest reason for having the suggested level of readers partaking in this kind of literature. The average middle school student should not be exposed to this element of society at such a young age. Not only may they not understand the true intended meaning, but also students may see it as an opportunity to “expand” their vocabulary and begin using such profanity in every day conversation. Similarly to profanity, graphic aspects to the book exist. For an example, on pages 14 and 15, Shawn is remembering the time he watched a dog die. It reads, “After only a few seconds the dog began to jerk. Blood gushed out of its nostrils and mouth. Cindy held him still and steady, stroking the side of the animal’s face through all the blood” (Trueman 14-15). Though a good use of the adjectives out of order concept, it presents a violent image too mature for sixth graders. As can be seen, the inappropriate content provides excellent reason to raise the audience reading this
A great number of cultural references, which require background knowledge, can be found throughout. Examples such as People magazine, the Pulitzer Prize, Bible stories, and art work, are present that in order to understand the reference, one must have knowledge on the topic. Thinking of personal experiences, tax dollars, as mentioned on page 44, was not apart of the vocabulary of sixth grade Aaron. This leads to the belief that much of this information could potentially go over the heads of many young students reading. Furthermore, one reading must have an acute ability to recognize themes and more profound thought that come along with understanding the psychology behind handicapped people and struggles they encounter. It is especially simple to perceive the main theme but one must think and look deeper into the thoughts and emotion of the novel to truly gain understanding of what is being