Forever by Judy Blume (2015-01-01)

Although it might seem like a petty girly book, it actually is a really good book that shows what girls go through with young love. I went through a lot of these same emotions when I was younger and thought I was in love. Great books for parents of teenagers.

Unlike most of the reviewers for this book, I had actually never read it before. I loved Judy Blume books when I was younger though, and this book was suggested to me as one of the books I needed to read before I die.
I really like the message of this book. I like the idea of a teenager taking command of her own body. I like the message of her having open discussions with her mother about sex. I like that she makes her own decision about how far she is willing to go with a guy she likes as well as taking responsibility for birth control.
The writing, however, was extremely juvenile. Simple sentences and little in the way of suspense and guesswork as far as what would happen with the characters made the book completely predictable.
I also really had a problem with some of the ways the characters related with one another. It didn't seem realistic and Michael was sometimes incredibly mean to Katherine. I realize this book was written in a different time--several generations ago, actually. So that changes the dynamic somewhat. However, I would hate my daughter to read this book one day and think that sort of interaction is acceptable between loving adults.

This book had a weak story line and the characters were hardly developed. I personally think Judy Blume is a better children's novelist. This story only consisted of sex, there wasn't a emotionally provoking storyline I was deeply disappointed.

Just meh. Outdated for today's youth. Totally unrealistic sex with the boyfriend. Suggests pleasing a girl in bed is as easy as having her hop on and after a couple minutes, bam! Yeah right. Girls will likely think there must be something wrong with them if it isn't this easy. At the same time, it's not a surprising presentation for a 70's novel.

This book wAs recommended to me by a good friend. I did not like how jumpy it was but I kept on reading because I paid for it and it was really short. I would've paid maybe $2 for this book instead of the almost $8 I paid. It was an average book nothing incredible.

I was interested in Forever by Judy Blume because of the controversy that surrounds it; I knew it was banned because of the sexual content and wondered just what sort of content elicited such a heated reaction from people. While sex is definitely talked about and not shied away from in this book, it is done tastefully and responsibly; although truly, I expected nothing less from Judy Blume.

This book centers on the idea of having a first love and what it’s like to be young and exploring a new relationship. I enjoyed that it doesn’t happen all at once; Blume takes her time in showing how the romance and love develops between Katherine and Michael. It’s also done in a healthy way, which was probably my favorite part about this novel, sadly. I feel like too often TV and books idealize unhealthy relationships, but this book very much shows a healthy relationship between two teenagers, and it’s still just as exciting and entertaining (more so, because I’m not grossed out by awful behavior).

Overall, I think this book is great for teens to introduce them to the world of relationships and give them idea of what it looks like and how to have difficult conversations with their parents or significant others. It’s a tad bit dated, but not so much that it’s unrecognizable. Besides that, it’s a super cute romance and it brought up all the feelings I had when I was with my “first love,” so it’s really just great overall. I definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a cute teen romance.

‘Forever’ is supposed to be Judy Blume’s classic story of first love & first time between two college-bound high school seniors. Upon first read, unfortunately, I wasn’t totally sold with this book. Why?

CONS:

•Chemistry?: Blume never explained why Kat was even attracted to Michael to begin with, as little background info. is provided (aside from they simply met at a New Years Eve party). It's as if all of a sudden, Katherine & Michael start magically dating out of nowhere!

•Respect?: Katherine & Michael's relationship just, well, isn’t healthy. I hated Kat’s passive attitude toward Michael. Throughout the book, Kat is submissive to Michael’s every need. She could care less to what Michael says/does to her (sexually & otherwise).

As for Michael, it was essentially his way or the highway; it was all about him. Michael is disrespectful towards Katherine & is self-centered. I wasn't convinced that Michael loved Katherine, let alone cared about her as a person.

•Coercion: Numerous times, Michael would pressure Katherine to go farther sexually than what she was comfortable with. Michael tells Katherine he wants the experience to be good for her too, yet all he wants to do is get in her pants. That’s not love. That’s just your typical horny teenage boy. For a college-bound high school senior, Michael still has a lot of growing up to do...

•Sex scenes: I’m not a prude, but the sex scenes were a little much (more so than ‘Girl’ by Blake Nelson). Unlike ‘Girl’, the scenes here read more like a “how to” book than anything else ...to the point it sounded clinical. Very textbook-sounding and mechanical descriptions. Definitely some TMI moments in this book too!

•Character Development: Or lack there of. The characters feel underdeveloped and fall flat -making them sound lifeless with no distinct personality (especially Katherine's parents, who - even though minor characters - are flatter than a piece of paper; they could care less about what happens to their daughter. They have no emotion whatsoever).

I would've liked for Ms. Blume explored Artie's character more -he seemed like the only interesting character out of everyone, which is ironic considering he’s only a secondary character. He doesn’t seem as drawn out as he should be. Then again, neither does anyone else in this story.

Nonetheless, there are a few redeeming qualities in this book:

PROS:

•Relationships: Ms. Blume shows how a relationship doesn’t always turn out how you envision it. In life, not everything is picture perfect. Your feelings for a person may change over time.

•Sex: Ms. Blume also shows that sex isn't always mind-blowing nor perfect -especially the first time ...practice is key (:

•Sexuality/identity/gender: Although never explicitly stated in the book, Blume alludes to questioning one's own sexuality (as seen - very briefly! - with Artie) and frustration with relaying said sexuality to others. Keep in mind, ‘Forever’ was originally during a time when such topic (along with the topic of teen sex) wasn't openly discussed like it is today.

-Chloe

This was my "Banned Book Week" read for this year--and I have to admit that I picked it up because I couldn't believe I hadn't read it before. I thought I had read all of Blume's children's and young adult literature, but apparently not. I have a feeling that the reason I hadn't read it is simply because I never found it in a school library--which is fitting, I guess.

In the past, when I've read a book because it was banned, I always came out of the experience with the same 2 thoughts in my head--"Why on Earth would anyone want to ban this book?" and "My kids should totally read this book when they're older." With this book, however, I thought neither of those things.

Frankly, I can see why this book was challenged back in 1975 (and probably many times over since then). Here's the entire plot: 2 teenagers sleep together. That's it. It is fairly graphic--I wouldn't call it erotica, but it is definitely at the level of a mass market romance novel. However, it seems to be graphic purely for informational purposes, not narrative. For someone who is reading it for entertainment instead of information, that is off-putting.

I'm not saying that I was offended by it, or that I felt it should be banned (in case you didn't know, I'm really not a fan of banning or challenging books). But it also isn't one that I would recommend to my kids when they are of the appropriate age. The thing is, there are (now) better books that deal with the same subject matter. If you wanted a book dealing with teenage sexuality--and there is a need for books like that--you can easily find dozens that have fully-developed characters and actual plot. Frankly, I just didn't find much in this story that made it worth reading.

There was something, though, that I did find uncomfortable. I've read both Judy Blume's books for kids and her books for adults and I know that she can write in both worlds. While her style doesn't change between those two genres, her language does a bit. The best I can describe it is to say that she writes at a higher reading level in her books for adults--I'd say an 8th grade level instead of a 3rd grade level. This book felt like it was written for the younger set and, because of that, her character seemed much younger than their ages. Frankly, it felt like I was reading about two 10 year olds having sex and that is, um, uncomfortable. I think if she had written it at the level that she writes her adult literature, it would be both more impactful and more successful.

No, I don't think this book deserves to be banned or challenged and while I wouldn't have a problem with my kids reading it when they are old enough to really understand it, it isn't a book that I would recommend to them.

This novel, originally written in 1975, seemed to lack substance. There was very little storyline to the book, which was quite disappointing. Although the experiences discussed were accurate (like a virgin might bleed when having sex the first time), it really didn’t flow with any type of storyline. It examined both the young girl’s experience as well as a mother’s response. I found it to be preachy and did not flow. With Katherine’s grandmother sending pamphlets from Planned Parenthood on birth control, abortion and venereal disease, the book serves as a young girl’s guide to sex. When Katherine visits Planned Parenthood, the reader is taken on the exam along with her and shown step-by-step what is to be expected during a visit.

Throughout the book there are times the reader is reminded that it was written in the 1970’s. This is evident at times when talking about hooking rugs, embroidering jeans, records, phone booths and the new Robert Redford movie. This makes it a bit unrelatable to the youth of today.

First, I want to give Judy Blume credit for tackling a difficult subject, teen sexual relationships. The sexually explicit scenes were realistic and well done. That being said, I had a very dissatisfied feeling about this book all the way through. It was hard to believe that parents would give permission for their teenage children to have sex in their den any time they wanted to. That just seemed tremendously unrealistic. Also, the relationship between Michael and Katherine was based almost entirely on sex. Michael was very pushy about having sex in the first place and Katherine, whose doubts were not gone into at first, just seemed to go along with him and needed to call it love. I wished for a more fully developed relationship between the main characters. I was also very unhappy when Katherine, towards the end of the book, got interested in another boy. My unhappiness didn't stem from an overly romantic desire for her to stay with Michael. Rather, her new "love" interest was also just a sexual interest after all. She didn't grow as a character at all. She didn't seem to have learned anything from her relationship with Michael except how to have sex. Well, I guess that explains my problems with this particular book.

Forever was first published in the 1970's and was surrounded by a huge amount of controversy because of Judy Blume's realistic (and fairly graphic) portrayal of teenage sex and relationships. Compared to the kind of YA books we see published today it doesn't have the same shock factor that it did at that time but even when I first read the story (back in the 90's) it was one of a very small minority of books aimed at teenagers. As a teen I knew that picking up a book by Judy Blume I was going to get a story with characters who I could relate to and about relationships that were relevant to the things I was experiencing at the time so I read all of her books over and over again.

I was nervous about reading this book again now, after all it's been 20 years since I read it last and I was worried that it would be outdated. To be honest in a lot of ways it is, there is no mention of mobile phones or the internet, something that didn't matter when I first read it because they weren't common then either but that teenagers today will probably raise their eyes at! I don't think you get many 17 year olds meeting up to play backgammon and scrabble at fondue parties with their friends these days (even the dirty word variety) when they could be on the PlayStation or Xbox or out clubbing instead so there are some parts of the story that new readers won't necessarily connect to.

However, the important part of the story, the realistic look at first relationships - falling in love and thinking it will last forever, deciding when you're ready to have sex for the first time, how to deal with heartbreak - all of that is still just as relevant today as it was in the 70's. The latest version has a note from the author at the beginning talking about how birth control methods have changed and raising the point that it just as vital to protect from diseases by using condoms as it is to protect from pregnancy by using the pill (which is the method most girls prefer in the story) but what I enjoyed most was that it shows a much more lifelike version of sex than most novels.

The sex in Forever isn't perfect, it's messy and complicated but that's what makes it true to life. Most people's first time isn't all sunshine and roses, even if you're with a partner you love - especially if you're both fairly inexperienced. Boys don't always last forever and girls don't always orgasm but there is nothing wrong with that. This is the kind of book that will give teenagers realistic expectations about sex and how even if the first few times are a disaster that doesn't mean it won't get better. Practice really does make perfect in this case, especially if you're with someone who is willing to work at it!

I also love the message that Judy Blume sends about never letting anyone pressure you into doing something you're uncomfortable with. You are the only person who can decide if and when you're ready to take that step and there is nothing wrong with wanting to wait. Kath's reaction to her ex-boyfriend says it all:

"Sex was all he was ever interested in, which is why we broke up - because he threatened that if I wouldn't sleep with him he'd find somebody who would. I told him that if that was all he cared about he should go right ahead."

There are so many books aimed at teenagers these days that talk about similar issues and probably do so in a way that modern teenagers will find easier to relate to but Judy Blume had such a huge impact on teenage me and I will always love her for that.

In Judy Blume’s Forever, soon-to-be high school graduates Katherine and Michael meet and instantaneously fall in love. Katherine is supported by her family and friends along the way, as she navigates this intense, and sometimes awkward teenage love. She is sure her love will be “forever,” but will it?
Blume does a fantastic job addressing the sex issues that young adults face in their relationships. The book is very sex positive and talks about birth control, condoms, STIs, and the importance of being able to say no. Also in the book nobody was slut-shamed and nobody was ridiculed for being a virgin either. Although Michael’s behavior seemed pushy at times, I thought it was important to portray him in this light because teenage boys can be really pushy when it comes to sex. This also allows us to watch Katherine stand her ground toward Michael until she is ready to have sex. When she finally does have sex, she is content and unashamed with her decision which is an important message to young adults.
I also thought Blume portrayed Katherine’s parents very well. Her parents weren't overprotective, listened to what she had to say, and were very supportive. Although they did make a decision for her that might have seemed unfair, they did it with their best intentions in mind for their daughter.
The only criticism I have is the book has a very brisk ending. I will not give any spoilers, but I will say that within the last couple of chapter a lot happens. I personally would have liked to see the ending to be less rushed.
I would recommend the book to teenage girls. Overall I think this book is really quite sweet, and I think teenage girls would appreciate it. I would also recommend this book to parents, but specifically parents of teenage girls. I think the messages this book has about relationship and sex are extremely important for teenage girls to understand. I think parents should read this book and have a conversation with their children about these issues.
-Rebecca T.

If you’re thinking this is a typical Judy Blume children’s novel, you’d be mistaken. Forever… deals with teenage sexuality and the dramatic steps Katherine and Michael take once they fall in love. Teenage love is a difficult thing to keep, and once their parents make them spend a summer apart, “together forever” is roughly tested.

Blume always seems to deal with shocking content in a classy way. She doesn’t over-do this book, but she addresses the issue bluntly without beating around the book. I imagine in 1975 some of the content was a bit racy, but she doesn’t sugar coat anything. It’s a book purely for teens about their relationships– physically and emotionally.

Getting teens to relate to the story seemed much more important than the actual plot. Nothing really happens, per say, but the easiness of the read and the interest in the characters’ choices led the reader to continue. The conversations in the book seem to be random, but each dialogue allows the reader to relate more and more to the characters. None of them are perfect, and the awkwardness of everything is the reality teens are going through when faced with these relationship problems.

It’s funny in parts to read the awkwardness of Katherine’s and Michael’s relationship. There “first time” is really amusing. Blume captures the uncertainty and strangeness of the situation and tastefully writes about it. It’s not erotic content; rather, it’s the embarrassing truth.

I would definitely categorize this as an easy beach read. You might get a few laughs or understand the situations completely. Either way, Forever… is a truthful interpretation of teenagers’ first time at a real relationship.

Katherine and Michael are in high school, and in love. Michael wants to have sex with Katherine. He feels like it would be a good move in their relationship. Katherine resists at first, but then decides to give in. It changes their relationship a little bit, but the bigger change comes that summer when they are forced apart by camp and work. Can their love really survive forever?

Despite the fact that this book was first published about forty years ago I didn't feel like it was all that dated. Katherine just seemed calmer than the girls of today. I think this book totally works for kids today and is still completely relevant.

I had expected this book to be a bit more...a bit more scandalous, a bit more insightful, just a bit more. It wasn't really that graphic or insightful. It was moderate. This is where I can see it being a bit dated. It was scandalous in the 1970's, but fairly tame now. I'm not saying that we need graphic sex in YA, but I think that through Katherine's feeling and maybe a bit of dialogue it would help girls know a bit of what to expect.

It seemed strange to me that there was so much focus on the guy aspects of sex. Blume seemed to go into a lot of the experience that Michael had whereas I didn't feel like there was much from Katherine. It would be nice to get a little more perspective from her angle since I imagine it's mostly girls who would read this. Instead, we have Michael's penis problems. Maybe that would have been pushing it too far in the 70's to add a girl's perspective about sex in this book.

I really liked how realistic the relationship was. They fell in love fast, had sex, it didn't change their lives in some earth-shattering way and then things didn't totally work out for them and neither of them felt the same way. That's how relationships work. There doesn't have to be some big drama surrounding these things either. Life happens and things don't always work out. Especially when you are young, you fall in and out of love.

I read this because it's kind of a classic and thought it would be a good idea. Maybe if I was younger I would have found it more scandalous or something. It's a short read, so definitely check it out if you haven't. I would love to know what you guys thought of it.

First Line:
"Sybil Davison has a genius I.Q. and has been laid by at least six different guys."

Favorite Line:
"Then I went to the bathroom, sat down on the toilet, and cried."

FOREVER... by JUDY BLUME

This is the first book of Judy Blume that I have read and it left me speechless for about a minute of two after reading it. It was short but very, very nice. I don't have any idea if her other works are of the same length but I know that she is a New York Times Best-Selling Author & that says a lot. She writes YA and children's books that have been controversial because of the subject of her stories and the appropriateness of story for children and teens. But the subject of this book is (I think) is appropriate enough for teens to read especially with today's generation. It may have been controversial the first time it was published in 1975 and we all know why. I mean, even if it was in the United States it was still frowned upon at that time to talk about sex in YA books or something. It was said that this book is ahead of its time but now, it is sooooo appropriate. And if you think about it, the issue bout this book when it was first published is not at all controversial at this time. I don't even think that the book has some explicit content, it is what it is and it is normal. I think it depends on how you see things, I guess.

Forever... it is such a deep & heavy word that it feels so unattainable. I mean, forever? Cmon! Is there a forever when you're a teenager? I guess, we all found out that there is none when we all reach the age or 20 and up. I mean, nothing really last forever and in this story the characters learned that it so much more than that. That the word forever can be so much more even if it's not going to be forever. Do I make sense? I hope I do. When you're a teenager along with the crazy hormones, you are so wrapped up in a state of mind that's all bubbly and lovely that you will think is so crazy when you snap out of it. It's part of life and I bet my ass everyone went through that stage. When you are so giddy and in love & you feel it'll be you & him forever but after all that craziness, you realize that there's more to life and it was just a phase. It is a phase. A phase that everybody experienced, some learn the hard way while some so-so. The story is so god that if ever in the future I will become a parent, I would give this book to my daughter and have her read it. And I think, if a parent is not comfortable talking bout sex to his/her child then this book can be a big help. It's just that the happy ever after side of me thinks that the book came into a abrupt stop. I want more. Like, more, more. The ending was bittersweet and the characters' future will always make me wonder what happened after the last scene. I hate & love endings like that.

Anyways, this book is good and I think I will try to read other Judy Blume books and I hope it's all in the same length coz short stories that's informative and enlightening is something that I really like to read.

**Also posted on my TUMBLR & GR account

I read this book for my young adult literature class during "Early YA Books" week. This book was first published in the 1970s, and it is popular even to this day. However, it has also been banned and challenged countless times because of the sexual themes in the book. Katherine is a high school senior who finds herself incredibly attracted to Michael, a boy from another school that she meets at a New Year's party. Katherine and Michael become a couple, and their relationship progresses quickly. Pretty soon, they are sure they are in love and that it will last forever. Michael pressures Katherine to go further and further sexually, and Katherine struggles to make the decision of when they should have sex. Yes, there are sexual themes in this book, but it's not promoting teenage sex as some critics have suggested. I think it actually shows a teenager who makes a responsible decision about whether or not to have sex after she has educated herself and given it plenty of thought. It's not as if Katherine and Michael jump right into bed immediately after meeting. Katherine's parents and grandparents are involved in her life, and they educate her about the consequences of sex-both physically and emotionally. One of Katherine's friends deals with the consequences directly. There is discussion about different methods of birth control as well. (The author also includes a note to the reader about HIV/AIDs, which was not a concern when this book was written.) Katherine spends a lot of time weighing the decision of when is the right time to have sex, and she is clear with Michael when she tells him what she wants and does not want to do. Katherine and Michael are believable characters. They are both completely consumed by their first love, and it is all they think about. I wasn't very emotionally invested in either character, though. I just don't feel like I got to know the characters well enough to care for them. They seemed kind of flat. This was a quick read for me, and I liked it but didn't love it. I'm glad I finally got to see what all the fuss was about, though!

Everyone should read this. Okay. I admit I read a ton of Judy Blume back in Elementary School, but it's been a long time. I found this because I was trying to find out how edgy YA books really get, particularly with regard to sex. Incredibly, a quick googling seems to indicate that 1975's Forever is still about as much sex as YA gets. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong (and link me to some books) because I really want to answer the question as to how extreme (when well done) is appropriate for YA books today. In any case, somehow I had missed Forever in the 70's -- probably because I stopped reading Judy Blume at 10 or 11. I shouldn't have. It's great, and holds up perfectly well as an adult novel. After reading so many recently published and truly mediocre YA books (I'll get around to reviewing some of them) this was like a breath of fresh air. First of all, I'm in awe at Blume's skill at holding your attention with nothing but normal life. Mostly through dialog and a bit of interior monologue she paints incredibly real people effortlessly. I've now read a couple other books recently, and all her characters are always distinctive and real. In Forever she writes in a tight first person present. This drops you nicely inside the head of the narrator, but she doesn't overdo the interior monologue (which I find tedious). There is none of the snarky-boy-crazy quality of so many current voices, just a very real teenager. Also, having grown up in the 70's, I loved the subtle nostalgic flavor of suburban 70's life. The book is never preachy, and despite the fact that absolutely nothing out of the ordinary happens, holds your interest through every word. The sex is frank and quite funny, using a clever device to soften it. You'll know when you meet Ralph. Basically it just sticks your head right into this little slice of life, particular person, time and place, and holds it there for about two hours.

Forever is the perfect young adult novel to bring together many topics that are still just as prevalent today as they were when it first was published in 1975. Katherine is a normal teenage, waiting for her Senior year in High School to be over with. Most importantly, Katherine has found love, but is unaware of all the things that come with that.

As with many teenagers, sex is always a topic of discussion. For Katherine this is not an exception. Katherine is in love with Michael, and wants to explore everything that entails. While Katherine is every bit a teenager she is also very grown up in many ways. As a reader, it is refreshing that an authors has allowed her characters to grown into themselves without pushing them into the final version of themselves (after all the drama and events they are meant to go through). Katherine responsibly handles the pressure about sex while at the same time being completely aware about her own desires and reservations.

While the topic of "first love" and "sex" is in the forefront of this book, Judy Blume has ingeniously managed to bring attention to many other taboo topics. Just to name a few: sexuality (GLBT), drugs, STDs, and birth control. While these topics were not explored as fully as Katherine's self exploration into becoming a woman and an adult, they were relevant to the overall plot line and characters.

I found Judy Blume's book to be a fantastic read, discussing the major issues that surround everyone today, of any age group or gender. Judy Blume's book is timeless look into the complicated transition from being a teenager to an adult.

This book dates from the 1970s when it was pretty hard for teens to get any information whatsoever about sex and sexual relationships - no Internet then, and parents and school officials were even more reluctant to talk about it than they are now. As most people know by now, the book is about two nice, normal older teenagers who meet at a party, date, fall in love and eventually find themselves wanting to have a sexual relationship with each other. The sex scenes are described in detail but in an informational, not a dramatic, scary or otherwise "weird" way. At the time the teens are having sex, they truly think they will be together forever, but later events cast doubt on their promise.

A couple of things should be noted: First of all, these are older teens, on the verge of going off to college and generally becoming adults. Second, although they keep their relationship pretty private, they have families who are not too concerned about whether they're having sex with each other, i.e. they don't really have to sneak around or worry about whether Daddy will be mad or Mother will disapprove, if they find out. Third, the decision to have sex is presented as not having too many consequences. No one gets pregnant, gets an STD, gets ostracized at school, gets jealous, gets too obsessed with sex, or gets dumped immediately after having sex. One character does get a little too attached, but the way it's presented, that's fairly minor - that person just needs to move on with their life and likely that will happen.

On the one hand, I can understand why all these issues were left out. The focus of this book is on presenting a sexual relationship that wasn't accompanied by a horrible tragedy or "punishment" for the people involved, so that teens could just focus on what a "normal" relationship was like, sexually and a little bit emotionally. Many if not most or all of the books prior to this time that involved teen sex had something terrible happening to the teens as a result, such as an unwanted pregnancy, ostracism or even death. It was a relief when this book came out that someone was presenting a view of teen sex divorced from the "drama".

On the other hand, it's highly unlikely that everyone's first teen sexual relationship would go as smoothly as it's portrayed in the book. This book is sort of like "Barbie and Ken Have Sex". The teens in the book don't have any big problems or issues or insecurities in their lives; they don't have disapproving families and they really love each other so it's not a case of someone just being hot for someone else. I'm sure there are relationships like the one in "Forever" but I'm equally sure there are ones that are more like "The Story of a Girl" by Sara Zarr, or like the ill-fated teen couple who seek an abortion in "My Darling, My Hamburger, or like numerous other books where sex doesn't go along like peaches and pie. Furthermore, one character ends up being very upset by the relationship in "Forever" and the book just kind of pushes that aside as a personal-growth moment. I would have found this book more realistic if it had contained a few stories to contrast with the main characters, to show that not every sexual relationship goes along as smoothly as theirs generally does, and also if it dealt a little more realistically with the emotional impact that can happen when one person changes their mind about "forever".

It's still an OK book to read, but aside from the physical descriptions of what happens between the couple, I didn't find it particularly realistic when I first read it in the early 1980s, and I don't find it that realistic now. I did hear that the author has added a section to the book addressing AIDS (a disease which emerged some years after the book was published), and I think that's a good addition although I have not read it.

Elaina Book Review
This Book was a relatable young adult book about a girl who falls hopelessly in love with a boy. But circumstance and life choices test the love they have. It is very sexually oriented and focuses on young love and challenges they encounter. This book talks about things that really happen with teens and challenges they may encounter. It is a insight into teen lives. The text makes talking about sensitive topics easier for the reader.
I did not like how the book ended. I wish it would of given a little more closure, it almost felt as if another book should be made to continue the story line to figure out what happened. I would recommend this read to older teens, it's a cute story line that addresses stuff teens encounter.

"Forever," by Judy Blume, is about a teenager falling in love for the first time. Katherine is a senior in high school when she meets Michael. They hang out for a few hours on the weekends, then their relationship becomes more serious. Neither can stand to be away from the other and each vows that someday they will get married and be together forever. Katherine's parents don't approve of this, and they send her away to be a counselor at a tennis camp over the summer. She and Michael write to each other every day, until she met someone else. She is confused and begins to question how much she really cares about Michael.
Blume does a super job of showing the difference between love and infatuation between teenagers. The way she expresses the emotions and feelings between characters is very effective and realistic. Just like anyone would expect real teenagers to act and feel, changing their minds every time the wind shifts directions. For example, when Katherine goes to camp the boy she meets makes fun of the locket that Michael gave her that has the word "forever" engraved on it. He tells Katherine that she is too young to be thinking about forever, but she just blows him off. When she is alone she thinks about what this boy has said, she doesn't want to believe him, but at the same time she is strangely attracted to him. This book does a wonderful job keeping the reader interested and always wanting more.

picked up Forever by Judy Blume because I had read it was banned from many schools. Why was it banned you ask, it was banned because it deals with sexual intercourse, possible homosexuality, and the use of the pill. Ridiculous right? I believe so.
I really enjoyed this book. All the characters were so realistic. I believe that at some point or another we all go thru all or one of the emotions in this book. Or know some one who has been through something similar. And if you have read this book Ralph really.. LMFAO.
Not many parents are willing to talk to their kids about sex and they learn it from someone else. Any who parents this may be a great segue to open up to your kids about sex or the reader to ask questions. 
As always Happy Reading!

I recently wrote to Judy Blume, one of my favorite authors, via her website. She responded by thanking me for my "warm note." I did some further research on her site and found out why she wrote FOREVER. The book was first published in 1976 - her stepdaughter, I believe, wanted a frank story about two nice kids who have sex without one of them facing terrible consequences, meaning death, pregnancy, and alas, abortions.
Enter Katherine Danzinger and Michael Wagner, two high school seniors. I like the fact that Blume used two seventeen year-olds, rather than two fifteen year-olds. I'm not even saying fifteen is the wrong age to be having sex - there is no right age in my mind. It's the level of responsibility, really - Katherine proves she is just that: responsible. She uses protection, a condom and the pill. She's a good student, a daughter, a sister to younger sibling, Jaime, and a best friend to Erica Small, who feels the need to be more outspoken than Katherine because she wants to compenstate for her short stature. Michael, at first, is not a virgin, while Katherine is. He is her first boyfriend and as they grow closer and the relationship turns sexual, they come to know each other mentally and Katherine becomes "mentally ready," so she feels she can now lose her virginity to the boy she loves.
Besides sex, FOREVER also deals with loss - Katherine's grandfather, with whom she was very close, dies after struggling to live through his stroke. Katherine has a nice family relationship. She seems almost to be a younger version of her mother, while Jaime is a younger version of Katherine. She loves her parents dearly and is shocked to find they are sending her away to summer camp to work, completely against her will. They think she and Michael direly need some time apart and Katherine, unjustly so, has no say in the decision.
Katherine and Michael promised to be together forever. Now, at camp, Katherine contemplates what that really means. Camp is where she receives the devastating news about her grandfather. Michael isn't there but Theo, a sexy tennis instructor, is. Had her parents never sent her away, this may have never happened. If Katherine was older than 17-18 (she turns 18 in the book), maybe things would have been different. But since things are the way they are, she must deal with the situation at hand the best way she knows how.
Blume's story is frank, melancholy, and realistic. The ending may not seem ideal but it is as real and true as possible and that is what readers must understand. I first read this book when I was 13 and still have no difficulty understanding the reasons for its critical acclaims. If you want a story of love, truth, and hardships in a relationship, this is the book for you to read.