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Janie Johnson #4.5
What Janie Saw
This suspenseful ebook original features the main characters from Caroline B. Cooney's hugely successful Janie series, which began with The Face on the Milk Carton. Readers will be enthralled to discover what still matters to Janie, who was kidnapped as a toddler and reunited with her birth family as a teenager, and who may still be in danger as a young woman. Whether readers are fans of the Janie books or are new to the series, this tightly spun thriller is guaranteed to please.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 22, 2012
77 people are currently reading
2184 people want to read
About the author
Caroline B. Cooney
129 books1,774 followersCaroline Cooney knew in sixth grade that she wanted to be a writer when "the best teacher I ever had in my life" made writing her main focus. "He used to rip off covers from The New Yorker and pass them around and make us write a short story on whichever cover we got. I started writing then and never stopped!"
When her children were young, Caroline started writing books for young people -- with remarkable results. She began to sell stories to Seventeen magazine and soon after began writing books. Suspense novels are her favorites to read and write. "In a suspense novel, you can count on action."
To keep her stories realistic, Caroline visits many schools outside of her area, learning more about teenagers all the time. She often organizes what she calls a "plotting game," in which students work together to create plots for stories. Caroline lives in Westbrook, Connecticut and when she's not writing she volunteers at a hospital, plays piano for the school musicals and daydreams!
- Scholastic.com
When her children were young, Caroline started writing books for young people -- with remarkable results. She began to sell stories to Seventeen magazine and soon after began writing books. Suspense novels are her favorites to read and write. "In a suspense novel, you can count on action."
To keep her stories realistic, Caroline visits many schools outside of her area, learning more about teenagers all the time. She often organizes what she calls a "plotting game," in which students work together to create plots for stories. Caroline lives in Westbrook, Connecticut and when she's not writing she volunteers at a hospital, plays piano for the school musicals and daydreams!
- Scholastic.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
September 6, 2017
I loved this series and this short story was fine but you can do without it
September 18, 2023
ik this was technically a short story but it was an amazing example of what bothered me the most during the last two (and a half) books so taking this opportunity to complain abt it: the original book came out in 1990. janie was 15. this story came out in 2012. janie is 17. the final book came out in 2013. janie is 20.
15 y/o janie had missing kids on the back of milk cartons and microfiche and pay phones and SEVEN DIGIT PHONE NUMBERS. why does 17 y/o janie have an IPAD? why does 20 y/o janie have a FACEBOOK? (that's integral to the plot btw. which is part of why that book infuriated me.) WHYYYYYYYYY would you not take the time period into account when finishing the books???????? now im bad at math but im like PRETTYYYY SUREEEEE that janie should not still be a teenager past 1994. she should not have a fucking ipad. im getting even more mad abt it now bc we could have STAYED IN THE NINETIES. that nostalgia would've been a HIT in the 2013!!! such a letdown.
15 y/o janie had missing kids on the back of milk cartons and microfiche and pay phones and SEVEN DIGIT PHONE NUMBERS. why does 17 y/o janie have an IPAD? why does 20 y/o janie have a FACEBOOK? (that's integral to the plot btw. which is part of why that book infuriated me.) WHYYYYYYYYY would you not take the time period into account when finishing the books???????? now im bad at math but im like PRETTYYYY SUREEEEE that janie should not still be a teenager past 1994. she should not have a fucking ipad. im getting even more mad abt it now bc we could have STAYED IN THE NINETIES. that nostalgia would've been a HIT in the 2013!!! such a letdown.
November 19, 2012
This was an interesting read. I liked having more of Janie's story. I was glad that she finally embraced her biological family. I can see why - she grew up, she was betrayed by her father in the fourth book. The only thing that didn't make sense to me was Hannah. From what we learned about her in the series, it seemed out of character for her to be so narcissistic. True, we got to know her only by what her parents said about her, but it still didn't mesh. Her true character seemed too different from the impression. Yes, years had passed so she could have changed, but even describing the kidnapping felt a little different. Hannah was described as a passive, almost vulnerable person - the Hannah we were introduced to here was anything but that. Anyway, I loved the series as a kid, still love it now. Happy to have more.
October 18, 2015
Didn't give much insight to the story. This could have been part of book 4. Definitely wasn't worth my 1.99
November 18, 2018
SUPER short. Didn’t really add much to the story, but I’m a creature of habit and if it’s part of a series, I must read it.
September 4, 2019
This was a short story in the series. Hannah came across as a complete basketcase, it was weird that Visionary Assasins would write a song about Janie, and the way Janie was treating Reed wasn't really fair. Sure, he did something that wasn't very nice, but now she's stringing him along? Telling him she half-cares about him? She needs to choose if she wants to be with him and forgive him, or whether she's going to hold a grudge and let him go. I'm guessing that Hannah is going to turn up in the final book, I don't see that going down well though, especially as Hannah seems to feel that Janie has wronged HER in some way!
June 1, 2022
Unnecessary short story that adds nothing to the series.
January 18, 2025
2 stars. Filler
August 8, 2024
Fond Of
Crazy Hannah, Janie’s kidnapper was probably the most interesting aspect to the novella as her erraticness was entertaining and gave a break from Janie’s whining.
Not Fond Of
Like in Janie Face to Face Caroline B. Cooney neglects that Janie’s story began in 1990 before the invention of text messaging and YouTube both being prominently used in the story. As a child from the 90s, this detail vexed me.
What Janie Saw was a little repetitive. The beginning felt like a reality show recap and, for someone who has read all the previous books found it a little annoying.
Final Thoughts
What Janie Saw was an interesting bridge between What Janie Found and Janie Face to Face but it could be easily skipped as well and the reader would still be in the know.
Crazy Hannah, Janie’s kidnapper was probably the most interesting aspect to the novella as her erraticness was entertaining and gave a break from Janie’s whining.
Not Fond Of
Like in Janie Face to Face Caroline B. Cooney neglects that Janie’s story began in 1990 before the invention of text messaging and YouTube both being prominently used in the story. As a child from the 90s, this detail vexed me.
What Janie Saw was a little repetitive. The beginning felt like a reality show recap and, for someone who has read all the previous books found it a little annoying.
Final Thoughts
What Janie Saw was an interesting bridge between What Janie Found and Janie Face to Face but it could be easily skipped as well and the reader would still be in the know.
November 13, 2012
Quick little update on Janie Johnson, complete with cell phone and iPad use. (Apparently Janie has only aged 3 years in the 20 years since Cooney first introduced us to her, but the world she lives in grew up without her--gotta appeal to those millenials!) As I read it, every character was so comfortingly familiar--maybe because my copy of _The face on the milk carton_ is in tatters, and every memory of Janie's almost seemed like one of my own. I didn't even realize how familiar I was with this novel until coming back to it. Basically this was an intro/hook to Cooney's final installment (who would have thought) of the Milk Carton series, which comes out in January...duh duh duh...
June 18, 2015
I just finished The Voice on the Radio yesterday and finished What Janie Found today and so I quickly read What Janie Saw and it's like the author totally forgot what she had previously written. Stories did not mash up well, back story was incredibly redundant especially considering the space it took up in this tiny book. The sudden use of newer technology seemed wrong. Cooney should have written this closer to the publication of the previous book or not at all. Thought I knew where things were headed but now I'm not even sure we're in the same story. Not sure I'm gonna like Janie Face to Face but I've come this far so...
June 28, 2015
This is a novella ... which I don't totally understand. In past experience, these e-book extras add filler to a story, often focusing on other characters, and are usually extra, but not integral to the series. I felt like this WAS a specific stepping stone in the story.
Here, Janie's story again becomes mainstream (by the music group Visionary Assassins featured in book#3), and the reader is introduced into Hanna's head. I really don't like being in Hanna's head! In book #1, I had a little trouble dealing with Janie's inner thoughts. Many were immature and annoying. Hanna is SO much worse! Actually made it unenjoyable to read ...
Here, Janie's story again becomes mainstream (by the music group Visionary Assassins featured in book#3), and the reader is introduced into Hanna's head. I really don't like being in Hanna's head! In book #1, I had a little trouble dealing with Janie's inner thoughts. Many were immature and annoying. Hanna is SO much worse! Actually made it unenjoyable to read ...
June 3, 2016
I just do not understand the choices this author makes in this series and this installment is the biggest offender. Janie's bizarre discovery of her face on the milk carton was based around her having a milk allergy, which she conveniently now no longer has. Book 4 concluded with Hannah receiving a huge sum of money, but she's working low wage jobs and it seems she's had nothing and has continued to struggle. Combine these with the 'Hannah's death was legally documented and she was buried 5 years ago but was arrested 3 years ago and contacted her family' from books 3 and 4 and I'm just not sure the author even remembers what story she's telling.
October 3, 2014
I accidentally skipped this book and started to read #5. I was about halfway through when I realized the mistake. Thinking that it wasn't too expensive, I went ahead and ordered this and read it. Thoroughly disappointed. If I could get my money back, I would. About 1/3-1/2 of these 32 pages are the exact same pages that are in book #5! Huge waste of money! Save yours and just wait to read it all in the 5th book.
May 20, 2018
*****My full review for What Janie Saw is available at Darling & Co.*****
October 9, 2013
I enjoyed reading this as I was a fan of the original series when I was a kid. one aspect of this I didn't like was the input of modern technology like the ipad and iphone. it seemed unnecessary and didn't fit with the setting (time wise) of the other books.
September 28, 2014
Would not suggest this book; lots of review. Not worth $1.99!
June 28, 2016
Slightly better.
March 22, 2020
This brief book was told by the kidnapper, which gave a totally new dimension to the series.
February 23, 2021
What Janie Saw is a short story that bridges the gap between Janie's trek to Colorado and the events leading up to the final book. And honestly, the events that happened in What Janie Saw could have been told in the last book. It didn't need its own printing.
Anyway. Janie discovers a band from Reeve's college had recorded a single based on events Reeve spoke about during his radio show. However, none of her friends told her about the song or the music video that featured Janie front and center. They all assumed she knew. They all thought she knew and was handling the video with grace.
This furthers my point in my review of What Janie Found that these books are not thought out. In the previous books, Sarah-Charlotte, Janie's best friend, doesn't shut up about anything. Especially when it comes to Janie's kidnapping. However, in this short story, she never once mentions the music video to Janie? I don't think so. Neither does Reeve, Jodie, Stephen, or Brian. I find that extremely hard to believe.
I was also correct about Hannah. She's angry at everything: her parents, her cult, the cult members, the world, and most importantly, at Janie. Janie is getting all the attention Hannah believes she deserves instead. She can't handle the fact that no one is talking about her. She hates the fact that she can't travel, she has to use fake names, and can only work a string of dead-end jobs to keep herself afloat. The one thing that isn't mentioned is the final check and letter Janie sent in What Janie Found to Hannah. It's almost like that event didn't happen.
This whole short story is a hot mess. It either should have been another novel or absorbed into the final book.
Anyway. Janie discovers a band from Reeve's college had recorded a single based on events Reeve spoke about during his radio show. However, none of her friends told her about the song or the music video that featured Janie front and center. They all assumed she knew. They all thought she knew and was handling the video with grace.
This furthers my point in my review of What Janie Found that these books are not thought out. In the previous books, Sarah-Charlotte, Janie's best friend, doesn't shut up about anything. Especially when it comes to Janie's kidnapping. However, in this short story, she never once mentions the music video to Janie? I don't think so. Neither does Reeve, Jodie, Stephen, or Brian. I find that extremely hard to believe.
I was also correct about Hannah. She's angry at everything: her parents, her cult, the cult members, the world, and most importantly, at Janie. Janie is getting all the attention Hannah believes she deserves instead. She can't handle the fact that no one is talking about her. She hates the fact that she can't travel, she has to use fake names, and can only work a string of dead-end jobs to keep herself afloat. The one thing that isn't mentioned is the final check and letter Janie sent in What Janie Found to Hannah. It's almost like that event didn't happen.
This whole short story is a hot mess. It either should have been another novel or absorbed into the final book.
October 16, 2021
Janie went from learning typing on a typewriter in school to having an iphone and an ipad her senior year? I don't think so.
They mentioned a cell in the last book but I assumed it was an older model, and possibly actually her parents' phone (though since they were wealthy they may have gotten her one due to her excessive interstate travel). When she mentioned the typewriters she was surprised by.how many computers the school had. They didn't even have a home computer! She originally looked up the story on newspaper microfilm in a public library! And three years later she has an iphone?! It stymies belief. Totally trashed the story for me. Not that it was much of one. Must have been written for a promotion or as filler. These books aren't long enough for the plot to really develop, but this is....like watching a music video. Very, very brief. Though I have watched music videos with more story, and less ridiculous circumstances.
They mentioned a cell in the last book but I assumed it was an older model, and possibly actually her parents' phone (though since they were wealthy they may have gotten her one due to her excessive interstate travel). When she mentioned the typewriters she was surprised by.how many computers the school had. They didn't even have a home computer! She originally looked up the story on newspaper microfilm in a public library! And three years later she has an iphone?! It stymies belief. Totally trashed the story for me. Not that it was much of one. Must have been written for a promotion or as filler. These books aren't long enough for the plot to really develop, but this is....like watching a music video. Very, very brief. Though I have watched music videos with more story, and less ridiculous circumstances.
June 21, 2018
In the 3rd book, “the Voice on the Radio”, Janie spends a fair amount of time lamenting that her boyfriend Reeve wouldn’t fax her as often as she liked. In this novella, which takes place about a year after that, Janie suddenly has an iPhone and iPad and loves music videos! I love continuity errors that show the author thinks I’m stupid.
But honestly, this novella wasn’t horrible. The previous few books were relatively dull, so it was refreshing to be entertained by this. It was interesting to get into Hannah’s head and for there to be an actual story arc being formed.
But honestly, this novella wasn’t horrible. The previous few books were relatively dull, so it was refreshing to be entertained by this. It was interesting to get into Hannah’s head and for there to be an actual story arc being formed.
August 22, 2021
Way too short. The author could have put that into the fourth book.
Finished it in just an hour or an hour and a half -- was just trying to block out some time to actually sit down and read it. But I think I didn't even finish my coffee when I got to the last page 😸😸😸
Felt like it was a fill-in to hype up before the final book and to refresh where we were😸 since there was a 13 year gap between Book 4 and Book 5.
But if you skip it, you won't have any trouble following Janie/Jenny story.
P.S. I still can't really get why Cooney keeps coming back to her dairy allergy. 😸
Finished it in just an hour or an hour and a half -- was just trying to block out some time to actually sit down and read it. But I think I didn't even finish my coffee when I got to the last page 😸😸😸
Felt like it was a fill-in to hype up before the final book and to refresh where we were😸 since there was a 13 year gap between Book 4 and Book 5.
But if you skip it, you won't have any trouble following Janie/Jenny story.
P.S. I still can't really get why Cooney keeps coming back to her dairy allergy. 😸
June 3, 2023
I'm not really here to review a 30 page short story (mostly because nothing happened and it wasn't really necessary) but I'm actually really mad about the change in technology all of a sudden. I'm sorry but the first book came out in 1990 and the book took place in the early 90s and I HATE that Janie has only aged 3 years but now there are iPods and iPads. Even if this and the next book came out way later, there is actually no reason to do this. We can't just change things to appeal to younger generations when it makes no sense!!!
December 28, 2017
Short book alternating between Janie and Hannah's points of view as they react to a new song and video about the trial. Good continuity in that it's the band that Reeve helped promote. Questionable continuity in that it doesn't seem to indicate any benefit to Hannah from the final payoff, though that may be setting up another twist. Also, Hannah's character seems to have taken a turn for the worse, but maybe that makes sense, given the circumstances.
June 9, 2021
Cooney made some weird choices in this short story, namely Hannah. She seems to be the complete opposite of what she was made out to be in the previous four books and it really doesn't make sense. Oh well, I'll still read the last entry, even if it now has all this technology crammed awkwardly into the text (iPhone this, iPod that, etc.). I wish this and the next book had been written as if they were in the same era as the previous books.
January 23, 2023
Um, what? This came out 12 years after the book before it. Why? It was so short that it could have probably just been included in the last book. Also, the jump in technology? I know in 2012 that texting and streaming were prevalent, but the first book was written in 1990, and the book before this was written in 2000 with hardly any mention of technology. So, for it to be so prevalent in this short story was unexpected.
March 8, 2025
I have conflicted feelings on this little short story. The writing style felt a little different from the original series (books 1-4) so that was just a little disappointing. And the way Cooney shifts the timeline so drastically to include iPads and cell phones, when the first book seemed to be set sometime in the 80s, is a bit hard to reconcile, but I’ve decided to accept that fact for what it is. I love this series enough that I don’t want to be mad about it.
July 26, 2018
Okay... this was literally the most pointless thing ever. Here's what happens:
-This band decides to make an entire song about how Janie was kidnapped and the music video featured her court appearance and it was a BIGHUGEDEAL... then it wasn't.
-Hannah is broke and wants to find Janie.
.......that's it.
-This band decides to make an entire song about how Janie was kidnapped and the music video featured her court appearance and it was a BIGHUGEDEAL... then it wasn't.
-Hannah is broke and wants to find Janie.
.......that's it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2018
It really annoys me when an author ignores her own timeline. Hannah kidnapped Janie in the late 1970s/early 1980s, and yet Jane has an iPhone and an iPad her senior year of high school? Just because the story was written in 2012 doesn't mean it has to take place then, as well. If think an established author like this would know that.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews