Janie Face to Face
Author: Caroline B. Cooney
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 8, 2013
Pages: 352
Series: Janie Johnson, book five
About the Book: In this riveting and emotional conclusion to the thriller-romance Janie series, that started with The Face on the Milk Carton, all will be revealed as readers find out if Janie and Reeve’s love has endured, and whether or not the person who brought Janie and her family so much emotional pain and suffering is brought to justice.
I’m so pleased to be a part of the Janie Face to Face series. This post is going to be a little bit different because I haven’t read the book. Actually, I have a confession. I haven’t read any of the books in the Janie Johnson series. So why am I posting about this one? What could I possibly have to say about books I haven’t read?!? Very valid questions. I am excited for this book because, more than twenty years after it’s release, The Face on the Milk Carton is one of the most popular books in my middle school library. Never mind that they have never heard of missing children’s faces being on milk cartons or that the copies I have don’t even have the cool new cover. This says so much about this series. As I mentioned before, I am a terrible librarian and have yet to read these books (something I hope to fix ASAP!) For this post I asked my students for their thoughts about the Janie Johnson series and why people should read it. Now I love my middle schoolers but they are terrible at giving spoiler free answers!!! I edited out the spoilers and compiled the things that they said to come up with five reasons to love these books.
1. There is mystery. I am always getting asked where the mystery books are in the library. The Face on the Milk Carton is one of the first books I send them to!
2. “It’s unputdownable!” That’s a direct quote! The story really seems to draw my students in… even thoughts who don’t love reading. They are fascinated by the idea of maybe not being who you think you are.
3. Both boys and girls will like it. I love it when my students realize that boys and girls can like the same books!
4. There is even some romance. I get this more from the girls than the boys. They love that it is suspenseful and that there is a bit of a romance.
5. It’s part of a series. This is a complaint I often here from YA readers but my middle schoolers LOVE books in a series. They love knowing that they can come back for another and another!
I don’t know about you but they’ve certainly convinced me to pick these books up! I can’t wait to read them and talk about them with my students… if only they weren’t always checked out!!! 😉
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