LEARNING ABOUT
CAROLINE B. COONEY

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Caroline B. Cooney was born on May 10, 1947 and was brought up in Greenwich, Connecticut. She lived with her parents, Dexter Mitchell and Martha Bruce (They're divorced now), and brother. Caroline took piano at age seven and played the organ at age thirteen. She loved to read a lot throughout High School and did very well. On the other hand, in college, she didn't do so well. (Something About the Author)

Caroline failed out and never graduated college. She went to Indiana University from 1965-1966, then went to Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing from 1966-1967. Last, she went to University of Connecticut in 1968. (Something About the Author) Caroline married her husband in 1967. Now Caroline has three children of her own. Her first kid she had was when she was twenty-one. Her two daughters are Louisa who is 18 and Sayre who is 15 and her son Harold who is 11. When Caroline had her first baby she said:

"Sitting home with babies, I had to find a way to entertain myself. So I started writing with a pencil, between the children's naps-baby in one arm, notebook in the other."

It started off with her writing bad short stories that she sent away and were always sent back to her and rejected. Then one day she sent an article away and they decided to publish it in Seventeen magazine. After that she started writing for young adults. Soon after that she wrote her first book in 1979, Safe as the Grave. In 1980 she wrote her first adult novel, Rear View Mirror. (Junior Discovering Authors) Caroline writes for adults and teenagers. She writes novels, romance, mysteries, teen situations and series books. "I believe that to love and to be loved are the most fierce desires any of us will ever have." (Something About the Author.)

Her process for writing is to just jot down little notes or ideas, then make an outline with them and then write. Her books take place where she thinks the right setting would be. She fits her family in her stories sometimes. She might use their actions, features or personalities for another character. (Junior Discovering Authors) Her writing is done at her house and then she sends it away to be edited. Her hobbies are to write and play the organ; she's also a musician at a church. She's inspired to write by the teens at her volunteer job. (Junior Discovering Authors)

She has won awards in the past. She won one for Juvenile Literature and a Teen Romance Award in 1985. Overall, Caroline B. Cooney is a hard working author and an amazing multitalented women. Caroline B. Cooney is a famous writer. She uses many different styles and writing processes. She grew to love reading and writing. She has a husband and three kids who adore her and who she loves dearly. Caroline is a musician and has many interesting and enjoyable hobbies. She also donates a lot of her to time working with schools and churches.

A flashback is one of the styles that Caroline Cooney uses in her books. A flashback is talking about or thinking about something that already happened.

"She remembered how that dress... how the collar itched... remembered the fabric; it was summer fabric; the wind blew through it... remember how those braids swung like red silk against her cheeks." (Caroline B. Cooney, The Face on the Milk Carton, 11)

In addition to The Face on the Milk Carton, there were flashbacks in the sequel, Whatever Happened to Janie?.

"Jodie's daydreams-the old ones when she wondered what a sister would be like-came back like a movie rented for the VCR.." (Caroline B. Cooney, Whatever Happened to Janie?, 153.)

Caroline B. Cooney also uses much dialogue in these books. Dialogue is when two or more people are speaking to each other. To show that it's usually put in quotes.

"Life isn't like that now," said Mrs. Shields sadly. "Too many dreadful possibilities out there. And hardly any lassies to save you. Mothers have nightmares about their babies, Janie Janie-from drowning in a neighbor's swimming pool to snapping the spine playing football. I think all mothers fear that one dreadful accident-when the child dashes out in front of a truck. When some maniac snatches the child during the one second the mother isn't looking. Your mother has always felt that way, Janie. She's always been afraid." (Caroline B. Cooney, The Face on the Milk Carton, 31.)

There's also dialogue in Whatever Happened to Janie?.

"I'll stay with you as long as I can," said Jodie, "but you're in a different grade. You'll have different classes. But each teacher has assigned you a buddy. You won't ever have to go anywhere alone." (Caroline B. Cooney, Whatever Happened to Janie?, 44)

In the novel, The Face on the Milk Carton Caroline Cooney uses great descriptions. Description is describing someone or something in detail.

"Janie had fabulous hair: a wild, chaotic mane of red curls glinting, gold. People always commented on it. As her best friend, Sarah-Charlotte, said, "Janie that is serious hair." (Caroline B. Cooney, The Face on the Milk Carton, 2.)

In addition to The Face on the Milk Carton, Caroline B. Cooney also uses good description in Whatever Happened to Janie?.

"The bedroom in Connecticut was a beautiful, sunny room, from which Janie Johnson had led a beautiful and sunny life. The leftovers of her childhood enthusiasms filled every shelf: the horse back riding ribbons from fourth grade; the silver flute and the wooden music stand from sixth; the pompons and trophy from seventh-grade cheerleading." (Caroline B. Cooney, Whatever Happened to Janie?, 11.)

These examples are right out of the books. They show Caroline B. Cooney's style of writing.

CRITICAL COMMENTS ON BOOKS