The 9:09 Project by Mark H. Parsons
Published by Delacorte on October 18, 2022
ISBN: 0593309758
Pages: 320
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

Unlike many YA novels that deal with the loss of a family member, seventeen year old Jamison Deever’s family didn’t fall apart after his mother died of cancer. He and his sister and father have begun the journey towards healing in the two years since she’s been gone, each in their own way while supporting each other. But J still acutely feels his loss and so sets out on a project to honor his mother and their shared love of photography, while coping with his grief. Dubbed “the 9:09 project”, he takes random photos of strangers every night on the same street corner at 9:09 pm, the exact time she died. With the help of friends, he creates a website to upload the photos and shares his thoughts about what he sees portrayed in them. The website takes off and becomes wildly popular, with J eventually realizing how many people he is helping to recognize and express their own grief. Along the way, he truly starts to find his talent and his self confidence, makes some really good friends, and even falls in love. He also connects with his father and sister in a more meaningful way.

This is a beautifully written novel, with every chapter starting with a quote from famed photographer Dorothea Lange. There is a lot of technical photography jargon in the book, but it doesn’t slow down the pace of the story. Besides loss and grief, this is a great coming of age story for high schoolers, with J also finding his moral compass amid some dicey peer situations. A great addition to any YA section.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Lee Remick, York Middle School