Caroline B. Cooney’s The Face on the Milk Carton is a work of young adult fiction originally published in 1990. The first of “The Janie Books,” it has sold over 4 million copies, spawned five sequels, and was adapted into a 1995 TV movie starring Kellie Martin. The novel was often challenged or banned after its publication due to its references to cults and sexual activity. This guide references the 2012 paperback edition.

Plot Summary

Fifteen-year-old Janie Johnson lives with her parents, Miranda and Frank, in an upper-middle class Connecticut suburb. The novel appears to take place in the late 80s and early 90s. At lunch one October day, Janie sees a photograph of herself as a young girl on a milk carton. The carton says that Janie’s real name is Jennie Spring, and that she was kidnapped from a New Jersey mall at age three. Janie tells her best friends, Sarah-Charlotte and Adair, about the photo, but they do not take her claim seriously.

Janie saves the milk carton. She feels distracted and disoriented by her discovery, and by memories of her kidnapping that begin to resurface. In some of the memories, Janie leaves her family in the mall to have ice cream with a nice woman. She tentatively begins to investigate her kidnapping. When Miranda will not produce Janie’s birth certificate, Janie wonders if her parents could have kidnapped her. She is occasionally distracted from her investigation by Reeve, her next-door neighbor. Reeve kisses her one afternoon, but Janie feels unsure about his intentions.

While unsuccessfully searching for her birth certificate, Janie finds a mysterious trunk with papers and photos belonging to a girl named Hannah. The trunk also contains the dress that Janie was wearing in the photo on the milk carton. Confused, Janie picks a fight with her parents at dinner but does not tell them why she is upset. After a confusing encounter with Reeve the next day, though, Janie confronts her parents about her birth certificate and Hannah’s trunk. She does not mention the milk carton.

Miranda and Frank tell Janie that Hannah was their daughter. They believe that Janie actually is Hannah’s daughter and their granddaughter. Hannah joined a cult at age 16. She left Janie with Miranda and Frank to raise, and they have not seen Hannah in years. Janie feels relieved that Miranda and Frank did not kidnap her. The next morning, though, Janie wonders how their story could be true in light of what she has seen on the milk carton.

Reeve offers Janie a ride to school. Instead of attending, Janie directs Reeve to drive her to New Jersey. She confides in him during the drive. Reeve and Janie find the Springs’ home address and see boys who may be Janie’s biological brothers go into the house. Janie believes she should tell the Spring family that she is alive and okay but worries about the impact her statement would have on Frank and Miranda. Reeve pulls into a motel. He and Janie rent a room, considering having sex, but they ultimately decide not to use it. When Janie and Reeve return home, it is late in the evening, and their parents are furious.

Janie apologizes for scaring her parents but relishes their anger because it shows how much they care about her. The next day at school, Janie realizes that she can research her kidnapping in the newspaper. Reeve finds her looking through back issues of the New York Times. He drives Janie to a soccer game her father coaches and watches it with her, but Janie increasingly struggles to focus on her conversations with Reeve. She obsesses about her kidnapping and begins writing the Springs a note with theories about it.

Janie believes her kidnapping was her fault and is consumed with guilt about it. She agonizes over whether to tell Miranda and Frank about the milk carton and whether she should contact the Springs. Reeve feels hurt by Janie’s lack of interest in him. He tries to help her by telling his sister, Lizzie, Janie’s story. Lizzie realizes that Hannah likely kidnapped Janie and lied to Miranda and Frank about Janie’s origins. Janie feels relieved that her parents are innocent. Though she forgives Reeve for telling Lizzie about the milk carton, they fight about Janie’s obsession again and end their relationship. Janie thinks that Reeve has a new girlfriend and feels sad.

Janie becomes increasingly confused and disoriented. She puts the Springs’ letter in an envelope and thinks she may have mailed it. She comes to Reeve for help. He brings Lizzie to the Johnsons’ home, and Miranda and Frank finally learn about the milk carton. Miranda feels empathy for the Springs since she does not know Hannah’s whereabouts. Miranda dials the Springs’ number and passes Janie the phone. Janie tells Mrs. Spring that she is Jennie, but the novel ends on a cliffhanger before Mrs. Spring replies.