Janie Face to Face

by Caroline B Cooney

Summary:

We’ve all probably wondered at one point in our life what it would be like if we weren’t related to the people that raised us. Maybe we are actually prince’s or princesses, maybe the child of rich billionaires who are just waiting to rescue us from a life of monotony  For Janie, finding out who her real parents were became a nightmare. A kidnapped child who 13 years later spotted her own face on a missing children’s ad on a milk carton. A girl who had to come to terms with what her life has done to two families through no fault of her own. In this conclusion to the face on the milk carton, we find out more about the kidnapper herself, and it’s only a matter of time until they meet again. But this time the chances of a happy ending are slim.

Review:

Janie Face to Face is a great conclusion to the Face on the Milk Carton series.  While a bit skeptical, since the last one was written a long time ago, Cooney does a great job of finishing up a series.  The book is written for a younger audience, and her attempts to update the book by mentioning modern technology are a bit silly (almost trying too hard), the book overall has the same feel as the rest of the series. It does wrap up the series nicely, with Janie and Reeve finally getting together, but feels a bit too happy ending contrived. It's a good read for fans of the series or younger teens. But for an older teen with no vested interest in the book it won't hold their attention. 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 6th Grade