Forever

Peach’s Picks Rating


Title:
Forever

Author:
Judy Blume

Illustrator:
None

ISBN:
0-689-84973-7

Publisher:
New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Copyright:
1975

Length:
199 pages

Plot Summary:
Forever is told in first person by Katherine, a senior in high school. Katherine has a loving home with understanding parents and a terrific younger sister. Michael is a handsome, smart senior who attends another high school. They meet at a party, begin dating, and their relationship develops into a love they believe will last forever. Erica is Katherine’s best friend and confidant. Erica and Katherine are friendly with Sybil, Erica’s cousin. Sybil has had at least six sex partners, declaring she enjoys the experiences. Erica says that Sybil does this because she has self-image problems. Later in the book Sybil becomes pregnant, gives the baby up for adoption, and still manages to attend her dream college. Their mutual friend, Artie, is passionate about acting and fights the realization creeping into his mind that he is gay. Erica toys with the idea of having sex, but decides to wait until she can find a special relationship like Katherine and Michael. Eventually Artie’s emotional struggles lead to a suicide attempt.

Katherine and Michael live an ordinary life and have a healthy relationship with their parents and siblings and do well in school. Both are responsible, good kids. Events are related that lead up to their first sexual relationship, including sexual play, and emotional feelings and the intensity of first love. The acquisition of birth control is explained. Katherine and Michael are parted at the beginning of summer when Katherine is sent to camp and Michael is sent away to work for his uncle. Katherine meets someone else at camp and she realizes that the love she shared with Michael is not forever. At its core, the story poses the question, “how long is forever?” inviting the reader to take that into consideration when making decisions.

Critical Evaluation:
This book is a terrific read with realistic characters, even though it is not perfect. Some of the characters are cardboard cut-outs: Artie the gay theater student who attempts suicide; Sybil, the promiscuous girl with self-image problems who ends up pregnant, but still manages to be accepted to a great college; Erica, the best friend who decides not to have sex; Katherine, the lovely protagonist “every” girl; Michael, the terrific boyfriend who wants sex, but does not pressure. The book is also somewhat didactic, preaching about birth control and the perils of teen sex. But, it is all done so amazingly well that flaws can be forgiven. Events for the characters with the exception of Artie fall neatly into place. The book gives a comforting look at teen life and teen sex. It offers a means to experience the emotions and physical feelings of sex without having sex. Most to the text is dialogue that is easy to follow and keeps the story moving. The subject is of high interest to teen girls with very sexy scenes that mirror teen sexuality and experimentation. Even with all the criticisms leveled at the book by reviewers over the years, it remains a universal and authentic voice of teen girls. It continues to work beautifully after 35 years in print.

Reader’s Annotation:
Katherine and Michael are seniors in high school who love with a love that they believe will last forever. Both are sent away the summer after they graduate and have to decide if their love really will last forever.

Author Information:
Grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Began writing stories as a child
Lives in Key West, Florida
Married with three adult children and one grandchild
Many of her books are found on various best seller and awards lists
Received a B.S. in education from New York University
Accolades include: Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement (1996), Library of Congress Living Legends Award, National Book Foundations’ Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters (2004), University of Southern Mississippi Medallion for lifelong contributions to children’s literature (2009)
She is a strong advocate of intellectual freedom
Founder of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation
Serves on various boards including: Author’s Guild, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Key West Literary Seminar, National Coalition Against Censorship
Maintains a newsy conversational blog at http://www.judyblume.com/blog.php

Genre:
Romance

Curriculum Ties:
Use in literature classes and human develop classes to facilitate discussion

Booktalking Ideas:
Katherine loves Michael and Michael loves Katherine. Should they have sex?

How long does forever last when you’re in high school and about to attend college?

Read aloud page 61, “We kissed one more time and then he touched my face gently and said, ‘I love you Katherine. I really mean it . . . I love you.”

Reading Level/Interest Age:
High school

Additional Books by Author:
Tiger Eyes
Letters to Judy: What Your Kids Wish They Could Tell You
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
Then Again, Maybe I Won’t
Freckle Juice
Superfudge
Smart Women

Challenge Issues:
Sexual situations, information relating to teens and birth control
Deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.

Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
A girl in 11th grade recommended Forever to me saying that she reads it over and over again. Quoting Regina Minudri, the reviewer of Forever in School Library Journal, November 1975: “Obviously it’s not a quality book, but that fact won’t bother the many girls who read it, identify, cry happily, and recommend it to their friends”. Well Regina, 35 years later the book is still in print and teens continue to enjoy it. Forever is awarded five peaches for a story well-told that withstands the test of time.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Judy-Blume/dp/1416934006/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272774822&sr=1-3

References:
Blume, J. (2010). “About Judy.” Judy Blume on the Web. Retrieved April, 30, 2010, from http://www.judyblume.com/about.php