Rate this book

Life Happens Next (2012)

by Terry Trueman(Favorite Author)

3.72 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0062028030 (ISBN13: 9780062028037)

languge

English

genre

Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction

publisher

HarperTeen

series

Shawn McDaniel

review 1: I just recently finished the book Life Happens Next by Terry Trueman. This is the first book I've read by him, and I would really like to read some more of his work. What really caught my eye was the cover of this book. It shows such a powerful cover that I couldn't resist. When I first started reading the book I wasn't sure what to think. It started off kind of strange, but ended up being such a powerful story. I'm glad that I had the chance to read this book. Terry Trueman did a very good job, and I would definitely recommend this book.*spoiler alert* This book focuses around a kid named Shawn McDaniel with cerebral palsy. His perspective on life is much different compared to others. On the outside he is just a kid in a wheelchair, but what people don't see his brillianc... moree and love. He has perfect auditory memory which allows him to remember everything he hears. Throughout the book Shawn's struggles are based on him looking like a “vegetable” because he isn't able to communicate to others. Shawn reveals that he is madly in love with one of his sister's best friends, Ally. When his other brother, Paul, starts dating Ally, Shawn begins to believe that he will spend the rest of his life alone. Later on his cousin Debi, who has down-syndrome, moves in. Shawn starts out being annoyed by her, but she ends up changing his life for the better.Overall I really enjoyed this book because it brought a whole new perspective. The best part is how it allows readers to see the world of someone who isn't able to physically communicate to back to those he loves. It definitely was something different from what I've read before.
review 2: If you haven't read the author's Printz Honor-winning debut, Stuck in Neutral, stop reading. Definite spoilers ahead. Shawn's father doesn't kill him. He makes it to his fifteenth birthday but is having a bit of a pity party because his crush and his brother have gotten together. Of course neither can possibly know about Shawn's feelings and he realizes that but that doesn't prevent him from wallowing. Of course, he's entitled to. Totally. Enter Debi and Rusty. Shawn's mother agrees to care for her forty-one-year-old cousin who has Down Syndrome when Debi's parents die. Shawn has some strong feelings about Debi and Rusty.I will be very interested in watching my students' reaction to this one. Stuck in Neutral and its companion, No Right Turn are two of my go-to books for reluctant readers. This one's quieter and more introspective. I hope that they stick with it because Shawn's perspective is eye-opening. less

Download links for: Life Happens Next

Advertising