FACE ON THE MILK CARTOON SPOILER FREE REVIEW

 

Trigger warning: Kidnapping

A while ago I read the very first book of the Janie Johnson series by Caroline B. Cooney, titled The Face on the Milk Carton. 

This is a YA novel taking place sometime in the late 80s or early 90s (the book itself was published in 1990), when pictures of missing kids were placed on the sides of milk cartons. Janie Johnson is 15 years old and lives a relatively normal life in her small town in Connecticut.  One day she accidentally drinks milk from the milk carton of one of her friends at lunchtime at school, and she recognizes that the picture of the missing girl on the side is actually...of her? It was a picture of her when she was three years old, and she was supposedly kidnapped from a shopping mall in New Jersey, and her real name is Jennie Spring.

Janie cannot believe what she saw. She thinks there is no way she could've been kidnapped, since her parents are so loving and kind. So she at first thinks maybe this is all just or dream or there's been some sort of mistake. But then she all of a sudden starts having random flashbacks that don't fit in with her current life, mostly consisting of other red-headed people, shopping for clothes, a golden retriever dog, a high stool at a diner, an ice cream sundae, and a mysterious woman...

Janie's crush and next-door neighbor, Reeve, decides to help her figure out the mystery behind her kidnapping and the truth about who she really is. 

This was a very intriguing mystery novel! The book kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried figuring out what really happened to Janie and if she was actually kidnapped as a child. I can't reveal too much about what she and Reeve discover because that will get into spoiler territory. But there are a lot of twists!

However, I gave this book 4 stars. This means it was very intriguing and I will read the rest of the series, but keep in mind this book is from 1990, so there are some things that's haven't aged too well. One big one is Janie and Reeve's relationship. Even though he helps Janie out with her mystery, he's a bit pushy and a bad influence on her. I personally do not support their relationship, but I hope he gets better. I also wasn't a fan of Janie's other friends, but hopefully they improve in the sequels. 

So do I recommend this book? Yeah! Just with a few caveats. 

Have you read any books from the 1990s? What about mystery books similar to this one from any year?