Forever...

I may have read this book while I was in high school. If I did attempt to read it, I imagine that my little prude self marched it back to my high school library and checked out something that my mother would not have been shocked to catch me reading.

As an adult, I feel this book--when the entire story is read-- takes a responsible look at teens and their attitudes towards sex. If I had a student who I thought might be interested in reading this book, I would be happy to share it with them. Blume shares in newer editions of the book that when she wrote "Forever..." in the mid-seventies, "sexual responsibility meant preventing unwanted pregnancy." The text of the book only vaguely mentions VD.

I feel that many students might have difficulty relating to this book because some of the terms and slang are outdated. Who wouldn't be excited if their sister would embroider jeans for a date? Also, I was a bit annoyed that I do not think Blume ever writes the word penis. The main male character calls his penis Ralph. Is this book supposed to help with sexual liberation or just makes us all want to name our private parts with names that could also be verbs? This brings new meaning to the phrase "I just ralphed." I think I may have taken that a little too far----many apologies.