Caroline Cooney writes a trilogy of books surrounding main character Janie Johnson. Janie is an ordinary girl living a regular life in Connecticut. During lunch one day in her school cafeteria, she notices a picture of a missing three year old girl on the back of a milk carton. Janie is mesmerized with the photo because she realizes it is a picture of her. She tries to figure out why she is reported missing with the help of Reeve, the boy-next-door turned boyfriend. As Janie searches for the truth, she discovers she was kidnapped from the mall as a toddler. As the tale progresses, Janie learns important lessons regarding friendship, truth, honesty, and loyalty.
In this work of fiction, Cooney skillfully relays Janie’s story as a young teenager trying to cope with the all important question of, “Who am I?” Cooney’s ability to create a suspenseful and riveting yet emotional story makes this first installment in the ‘Janie’ series the ultimate page turner. Readers will be able to empathize with the protagonist by the way Cooney formulates Janie’s thoughts as the plot progresses. In addition, the reader is given insight into Janie’s kidnapping through small increments of flashback memories sparked by the picture on the milk carton. Each change in time and point of view is made apparent though the use of italicized print. This work is highly recommended for readers who enjoy suspense and mystery. This book is an ALA Recommended Book for Reluctant Readers.
