Whatever Happened to Janie?

Written by Caroline B. Cooney

Narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan

When Janie first realized she was the missing child on the milk carton, her whole world fell apart. At first, she wondered if the parents she loved so much had actually kidnapped her, but it turns out that they were only trying to protect her. Now that the mystery of Janie's kidnapping has been unravelled, she is caught on the horns of a huge dilemma. Since the age of three, she has been calling the Johnsons "Mommy" and "Daddy." Suddenly, at the age of 15, she's expected to start her life all over again with a house full of noisy siblings and two strangers who are her biological parents. Will things ever be normal again? Young adult listeners may see something of themselves in the teen-aged Janie, whose anger, stubbornness, and rebellion are natural in her situation. Narrator Alyssa Bresnahan skillfully conveys the powerful emotions and the realistic decisions that this award-winning author so deftly tackles.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781490608112

Caroline B. Cooney

Caroline B. Cooney was born in New York, grew up in Connecticut, and now lives in South Carolina. Caroline is the author of about 80 books in many genres, and her books have sold over fifteen million copies. I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug was her first picture book, based on a verse she wrote for her own children, Louisa, Sayre, and Harold, who are now grown. I’m Going to Give You a Polar Bear Hug is the sequel! Visit her at carolinebcooneybooks.com or Caroline B. Cooney’s author page on Facebook.

Reviews for Whatever Happened to Janie?

[Ashley Susana Usadel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is an amazing sequel it really gives you more information. Can't wait to find out what else happens.

[completely_melanie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the 2nd book in the Janie Johnson series, and I loved it just as much as the 1st! In this book, Janie/Jenny is being forced to cut off ties with the family and friends she has spent her whole life with to move in with her rightful family. As you can assume, things don't go very well. Janie/Jenny does not adjust easily into this new life. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Continuation of the story begun with The Face on the Milk Carton. This is what happens when Janie goes to live with the Spring family. Janie struggles to adapt to her family.

[laneliterati · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A continuation of The Face on The Milk Carton. Janie has to go live with her "real" family, even though she considers her other parents to be her "real" parents. She has a hard time going from being an only child to being one of five noisy children, all the while missing her boyfriend and other parents.

[benuathanasia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved the dynamics between the characters. I just wanted to slap the shit out of Jodie and Stephen and tell them to fucking get over it, but it was very realistic in the portrayal of teenagers who've lived through something traumatic.

[janarose1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book picks up right where the first book ("The Face on the Milk Carton") left off. After discovering that she was kidnapped at the age of three, Janie is forced to live with her "birth" parents, much to her dismay. She is rude and obnoxious and makes little attempt to blend in or get to know her birth family. Although not as good as the first book, i thought this was an interesting read. I can see its appeal to teenagers, and would not hesitate to recommend the series.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the sequel to The Face on the Milk Carton. What Happened to Janie is the story of Janie’s transition back to Jennie. She is sent to live with her birth parents and trying to fit into a large, noisy family. We switch back and forth between characters, seeing most events from Janie’s perspective, but occasionally from other family members as well. Janie is overwhelmed by new parents, having siblings, going to a new school, living in a new state, even having a new, unwelcome name. I found it a little unbelievable that all these changes would be forced on a young girl without any apparent counselling. At first she is even discouraged from getting in touch with the people she still sees as her real family. The adult point of view appears to be that she will have to eventually get used to it. I think it would have been more realistic for Janie to be slowly introduced to her original family, not thrown in right off the bat.Janie is a very likeable character and I found myself rooting for her. I couldn’t imagine what is must be like for a fifteen year old to have her identity ripped away and a new one forced on her. I so hoped for a happy ending here, but like real life there is no neat ending with everything tied up in a bow, Janie turns sixteen and is finally able to make some choices for herself. No matter what Janie decides there will be people hurt, and a family torn apart. There are two more books in this series, and as the author has done a nice job in capturing my interest and concern, I will keep reading this hoping perhaps not for a happy ending, but one that will be acceptable.

[carolina221_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Janie is reuniting with her real family and is missing her kidnapping family. Janie is going to go live with her real family will she like them or not?

[amberanoka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am reviewing Whatever Happened to Janie? This book was written by Caroline B. Cooney and is the sequel to The Face on the Milk Carton. This was a wonderful sequel and met my expectiatations. The characters were real, however, I do still feel that the story line is a little far fetched. The Face on the Milk Carton left off with Janie phoning her real parents. In Whatever Happened to Janie? Janie goes to live with her real parents. During the stay, Janie acts like a complete brat. At the end of the book, Janie decides to live with her parents in Conneticut, her real parents agree and Janie moved back. This was a good book and I recommend it to younger audiences. I thought that it was a great sequel to The Face on the Milk Carton and is defiantely worth reading.

[leeny182 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wow I almost forgot about this book til it showed up on my "recommendations." I read this book in elementary school and I remember loving it. Its a follow up to the book "Face On the Milk Carton" which is also a great book. If I remember correctly they also made it into a movie. Good read for young people.

[escondidolibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the continuation of 'The Face on the Milk Carton'. Janie Johnson now knows she was kidnapped as a child and her real family wants her back. So she says goodbye to the only parents she's ever really known and moves to a new house and starts at a new school. Everything is so different and she's not sure she will ever get used to this new life.