Wayne State University’s Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI) will host Printz Honor recipient Terry Trueman at the Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium in the WSU Law School at 6 p.m., Thursday, April 6. Trueman will speak about his young adult novels “Stuck in Neutral” and “Cruise Control,” as well as his own experiences as the father of a child with cerebral palsy. A book signing and reception will follow his talk. The event is free, and open to the general public.
“Stuck in Neutral” tells the story of Shawn, a 14-year-old boy who, due to severe cerebral palsy, is unable to communicate with anyone. The story is told from his viewpoint, and reveals that he has actually a genius-level wit and intelligence which nobody from the outside seems to determine at first meeting. The novel was selected as one of three books to be part of the American Libraries Association’s “Great Stories Club,” a program funded by Oprah Winfrey’s Angels Network. This program provides young adults with the opportunity to discuss books relevant to the challenges in their lives. The book is also the basis for a movie project developed by “North by Northwest Productions.”
The follow-up novel, “Cruise Control,” tells the story from the perspective of Shawn’s brother raising many of the issues that affect siblings of people with disabilities.
This author event is the second in a series organized by the Developmental Disabilities Institute to bring together people from the local
community and the university to discuss popular books on disability-related themes.
Last year, author Rachel Simon talked to a capacity crowd at Wayne State’s Undergraduate Library about her book titled “Riding the Bus with my Sister,” a story that was made into a Hallmark movie. Future events planned for the series include authors on autism and mental retardation.
Parking for the event is available for $3.50 at Parking Structure 1 on West Palmer, across from the law school. For more information, visit www.wayne.edu/ddi or contact Kirsti Reeve at (313) 577-8562, email: kreeve@wayne.edu.
The Developmental Disabilities Institute at Wayne State University is the University Center of Excellence on Developmental Disabilities of Michigan. As a University Center for Excellence, DDI is associated with over 60 universities with which it shares resources. The institute’s mission is to contribute to the development of inclusive communities and quality of life for people with disabilities and their families. DDI has a Community Advisory Council which includes individuals with disabilities, family members, and representatives from government, advocacy and service organizations. The institute currently implements over 20 grants and contracts in education, community support and program evaluation and research.
Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students.
Interview Opportunity:
Terry Trueman will be available for interview opportunities on Thursday, April 6. Please contact Kirsti Reeve at (313) 577-8562 for more information or to arrange an interview. High-resolution photos and biographical information is available at http://www.terrytrueman.com.