Forever by Judy Blume [book]

Forever by Judy Blume [book]

Scarsdale, N.Y. : Bradbury Press, c1975
199 p. ; 22 cm
ISBN: 0027110303

Plot Summary:
Katharine Danziger and Michael Wagner meet in their senior year of high school at a party and fall for eachother. They go on dates and trips together and become close, close enough to start talking about having sex and what it means to them. Katherine is a virgin, while Michael has already had sex; the discussion about sex and intimacy further continues in the dialogue that Katherine and her best friend Erica have. The two opposing point of views that become prominent in the story are that of sex being emotional and sex being physical. During the courtship Michael's friend Artie comes into the group and his depression is discussed until he eventually attempts to hang himself and fails.
The term for the title of the book "Forever" comes from the necklace that Michael gives Katherine after they have sex for the first time on the floor of a bedroom. They feel that sex does mean that they are meant to be and the only faulter in this is when summer comes around and the 2 are separated. Katherine starts to doubt her feelings, when she becomes attracted to another and gains hope and confidence in herself and in her sexuality.

Critical Evaluation:
This book was interesting for me because I have predominantly read children's books by Judy Blume- so to read a book that deals with strong ideas of sexual content written by her through me for a loop. She writes the book well and I felt an immense connection the movie "Dirty Dancing" because of the fact that she is coming into her womanhood and having sexual relationships for the first time with someone that she cares about. I like the fact that she gains confidence from the experience and is better for it in the end. Her best friend's opinion is also a fun mediator to her idea of love and sex in the novel.

Reader's Annotation:
Katherine and Micheal believe that their love is forever as they deal with issues of intimacy and eventually time spent apart.

Websites to Look Into:
http://www.judyblume.com/

The Author:
Judy Blume has won more than 90 literary awards, and she serves on the board of the National Coalition Against Censorship; she is also longtime advocate of intellectual freedom.

Awards:
Margaret A. Edwards Awards

Similar Books:
"Then Again, Maybe I Won't" by Judy Blume
"Wifey" by Judy Blume
"Seventeenth Summer" by Maureen Daly

Booktalking Ideas:
Classic love stories
Comparing it to other popular materials that involve young love

Genre:
Classics, Romance

Interest Age:
15+

Challenge Issues:
Sexuality & Suicide
The main challenge of this book is teen sexuality and whether it is a physical act or an act of love. This is a very scary theme for some because it discusses sex in real terms and it is real about the likelihood that teens will have sex when they imagine that they are in love. I would combat it with the fact that the two wait to have sex and when they do they make mature decisions.
One of the characters goes through depression and does attempt suicide, so this can be a difficult subject, but I think that it can be combated with the fact that many teens hover around being depressed and having difficulty dealing with it. It shows them that it is not the way to go in trying to hurt oneself.

Why this Book?
This book is a classic book that predominantly deals with young adults falling in love young and making the right (or wrong) decisions.