Jennifer Ann McGee

Nine Minutes and Counting Jennifer Ann McGee

Every year Lizzie and her family travel to their favorite spot, Beaver Brook Campground. In the year of this story telling, Lizzie is almost 12, entering middle school, and has been temporarily charged with babysitting her two-year-old brother. She becomes distracted by the allure of the campground, and her little brother wonders into the woods...resulting in a tragic series of events. All of this happens in the time frame of nine minutes. Nine Minutes and Counting brings the reader into Lizzie's journey. Lizzie enters middle school and has to navigate her classes, her friendships, and her unraveling home life, all while coping with her feelings of grief and guilt. The telling of this story intentionally weaves in several essential components that assist Lizzie in her path toward healing. The reader experiences this difficult and emotionally raw journey through the voice of Lizzie as she encounters a very special teacher and enters a grief group with other "middle school-ers" who have experienced loss. The very dramatic mistake Lizzie makes, by taking her eyes off from her little brother, will make this story relatable to all different readers. Middle grade students, young adults, parents, teachers, coaches, administrators, and school counselors could all walk away from reading this book with new insights and tools for coping with their own tragedy, or for helping someone else mired in guilt and grief. Although moments in this story are incredibly dark and gritty, the overall tone is one of hope. Lizzie models strength and resiliency and the reader will be able to be able to experience her march, stepping one foot in front of the other, from darkness into the light.