Bibliography:
Cooney, C. B. (1990). The face on the milk carton. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Book Summary:
Janie is happy living her life with her friends, crushing on her next door neighbor, and loves her parents dearly. One day during lunch, Janie drinks her friends milk, and when she turns the carton around, she sees a picture of herself as a child on it. After recognizing herself, Janie faces an internal struggle about whether or not to confront her parents about what she has found. When memories of her previous life start coming back, Janie must face the truth, and the consequences.
My Thoughts:
This book really impacted me on such a personal level despite the fact that I've never experienced anything remotely close to what Janie went through. From the first page, I was drawn into the mystery of who Janie really was. When she saw herself on the milk carton, I was just as shocked as she was. I was so consumed by the story that I devoured it, and immediately checked out the rest of the books in the series and read them all within a week.
Professional Reviews:
*In a novel that never quite lives up to its gripping premise, a high-school student discovers that her much-loved parents may in fact be her kidnappers. After Jane Johnson sees what seems to be her own face as a three-year-old displayed on a school lunch carton, she is plunged into a series of flashbacks: memories of long-forgotten childhood experiences that reinforce her sudden suspicion that she may have been kidnapped. As the underpinnings of her secure world slip, she clings to Reeve, the boy next door, with whom she is falling in love. Her parents' explanation (they are her grandparents; her mother abandoned Jane to return to a cult) proves unsatisfactory, pushing Jane toward emotional collapse until--with the help of Reeve and his sister--she finds a way to face the situation rationally. Cooney's original plot and satisfying resolution are marred by Jane's interminably overwrought analysis of her condition, and by a love interest that is more tacked on than intrinsic. Nevertheless, a real page-turner.
(1990, February 15). [Review of the book The face on the milk carton by Carolyn B. Cooney]. Kirkus Review. Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/caroline-b-cooney/whatever-happened-to-janie/
* Caroline Cooney masterfully portrays teenagers going about their normal lives, while skillfully building the suspense to the shocking surprise ending. THE FACE ON THE MILK CARTON is so emotionally riveting that you'll have a hard time putting the book down. I had to finish it in one reading, so I could get to the next one in the series, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JANIE?
Danielson, A. (1990, February 15). [Review of the book The face on the milk carton by Carolyn B. Cooney]. Teen Reads. Retrieved from http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/whatever-happened-to-janie
Suggested Activities:
I would use this book to host a discussion about life changing events in general, rather than kidnapping in particular. It is a great way to discuss internalizing conflict and how to voice when they think something is wrong. We would also discuss how they would feel if they were in Janie's situation, and what they would do about it.
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