74 pages • 2 hours read
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164
Novel • Fiction
Connecticut • 1980s
1990
YA
12-18 years
660L
In The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney, fifteen-year-old Janie Johnson’s life is upended when she discovers a photo of herself as a child on a milk carton, claiming she was kidnapped at age three. As she investigates her past, Janie uncovers startling truths about her family and grapples with her identity amidst resurfacing memories and emotional turmoil. References to cults and sexual activity are present in the book.
Mysterious
Suspenseful
Emotional
Challenging
Unnerving
64,804 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Caroline B. Cooney's The Face on the Milk Carton captures readers with its suspenseful plot and relatable protagonist. Praised for its engaging narrative and emotional depth. Criticized by some for predictable elements and slower pacing. Overall, it remains a compelling read for young adults, blending mystery and self-discovery.
Readers who relish suspenseful young adult novels with reliable emotional depth will adore Caroline B. Cooney’s The Face on the Milk Carton. It captures the same gripping intrigue and teenage angst found in Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why and John Green’s Looking for Alaska.
64,804 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Reeve Shields
Janie’s neighbor and love interest who struggles with underachievement but supports Janie as she navigates the complex emotions surrounding her past, helping her grow in the process.
Miranda Johnson
Janie’s mother who is energetic and disciplined, hiding her emotional pain behind organized volunteer work, yet her empathy and decisive actions significantly impact the story's development.
Frank Johnson
Janie’s father, a good-natured accountant and soccer coach, who balances affection and protectiveness toward Janie, occasionally revealing emotional vulnerability beneath his playful exterior.
Hannah Javensen
The absent daughter of Frank and Miranda, remembered differently by the characters, whose past actions indirectly cause the central conflict in the story, though she never appears in the present timeline.
Sarah-Charlotte Sherwood
Janie’s best friend, who is stylish and confident, presenting a contrast to Janie with her neat appearance and decisive personality, which affects Janie’s ability to confide in her.
164
Novel • Fiction
Connecticut • 1980s
1990
YA
12-18 years
660L
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