The Face on the Milk Carton

by Caroline B. Cooney, Caroline Bruce

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What is the theme of the book? what is the author trying to tell the reader?

The main theme of this book is identity. The author is trying to tell the reader that the search for one's true identity can be a long and difficult journey, but it is possible to find out if they are willing to do the hard work of searching.

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A young teenager named Janie glancing at a milk carton one day suddenly has the feeling that the face on the milk carton staring back at her is her own at three years old. From that moment she sets off to figure out if what she strongly suspects is true. She seeks to understand how and why this could have happened to her and who she really is. 

The main themes of this novel are identity, figuring out who one really is and truth vs coincidence. Almost immediately the novel is focused on Janie wondering who she is. Her identity, always tied to the only parents she has known, is shattered as she seeks to understand who her parents truly are and what happened to her. 

As the story continues and Janie finds what she believes are clues to her true identity, she must sort out which are truths and which are simply coincidence or unconnected facts that have nothing to do with her reality. 

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The main theme is the need and importance of communication between families, especially between parents and their children.

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