Summary: No one ever really paid close attention to the faces of the missing children on the milk cartons. But as Janie Johnson glanced at the face of the ordinary little girl with her hair in tight pigtails, wearing a dress with a narrow white collar--a three-year-old who had been kidnapped twelve years before from a shopping mall in New Jersey--she felt overcome with shock. She recognized that little girl--it was she. How could it possibly be true?Janie can't believe that her loving parents kidnapped her, but as she begins to piece things together, nothing makes sense. Something is terribly wrong. Are Mr. and Mrs. Johnson really Janie's parents? And if not, who is Janie Johnson, and what really happened? (from goodreads.com)
Why it was banned: The Face on the Milk Carton is listed at #80 on the most frequently challenged books for 1990-1999 and #29 on the same list for 2000-2009. This book has been challenged any times and the reasons listed range from sexual content, challenge to authority and inappropriate for age group.
Thoughts from Caroline: "Here’s my view on challenges: they are simply free speech. Of course at any time, any reader may state disapproval of a book. I am respectful of parents who keep up with what their children read and have the guts to announce publicly that they don’t like the title assigned and wish it removed. The fact that I might disagree is irrelevant. We protect free speech..." (via email)
What did I think?: I think I was shocked that this book was challenged. LOL. It's another one that I loved as a kid, I can even remember seeing the after school special that was based on it. I was surprised that the seemingly innocent reference to sex (sex, by the way, which didn't happen) was enough to have it challenged. I do agree with Caroline though, that parents have the right to decide what is appropriate for their kids. It's only when they start trying to dictate what other children should be allowed to read that it crosses the line.
In poking around for more information about this book, I was pretty stoked to see that it's actually a series. After the first book there is Whatever Happened to Janie, The Voice on the Radio and What Janie Found. I'm pretty excited to go get these from the library and see what happened to Janie.
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If you'd like more information about Caroline B. Cooney and her books, head on over to her website! Also, don't forget to enter my Banned Book Giveaway, which includes a copy of The Face on the Milk Carton.
