Zero to Well-Read: “Forever… by Judy Blume”

Podcast: Book Riot — Zero to Well-Read
Hosts: Jeff O’Neal (A), Rebecca Schinsky (B)
Air Date: March 17, 2026
Episode Theme: An in-depth discussion of Judy Blume’s controversial and influential YA novel “Forever…”—exploring its plot, legacy, and impact on young adult literature, sex education, and book banning culture.

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jeff and Rebecca dive into Judy Blume’s seminal YA novel “Forever…”—her frank, unflinching look at teenage sexuality, relationships, and coming of age. With Jeff reading the novel for the first time and Rebecca revisiting a major part of her own adolescence, the conversation covers the novel's plot, historical context, enduring relevance, and its status as one of America’s most frequently challenged books. They discuss why “Forever…” opened doors for future YA books, analyze how it portrays first love and sexual experiences, and address the ongoing controversies over its candid depiction of teenage sex.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Legacy of Judy Blume and “Forever…”

• Judy Blume as the OG YA Author

  • “[Blume] is really the OG of young adult literature. It didn’t exist as a category at the time that she started writing.” (B, 05:27)
  • Blume’s groundbreaking frankness about adolescence, sexuality, and taboo topics made her the forerunner of modern YA.

• Blume’s Unique Voice

  • “[Blume is] the aunt you wish you had, telling you how things are, but also that it’s going to be okay.” (A, 03:50)
  • Her adult characters are honest, approachable, and nonjudgmental, providing comfort and guidance.

2. Plot Summary and Reading Experience

• Concise Overview

  • Catherine, a senior in high school, meets Michael on New Year’s Eve. The story follows their passionate first love, Catherine’s journey to Planned Parenthood for birth control, their sexual relationship, and eventual breakup during a summer apart.
  • “This book gets tossed off as the Judy Blume teen sex book, but it’s really these young people learning how to navigate a relationship, how to talk to each other, how to think about what their commitments are to each other.” (B, 04:54)

• Short, Fast-Paced Read

  • “It’s also quite short. You can do it in one sitting… I did this in one sitting. It took me about 90 minutes.” (A, 08:45)

3. Realism, Sex Positivity, and Timelessness

• Normalizing Teen Sexuality

  • “[Catherine] pays attention to what feels good to her... and to what makes sex start feeling more satisfying with Michael. And I think it’s really authentic to what it’s like to be a teenager and to not have the experience or the skill to handle things smoothly.” (B, 12:49)

• Lack of Judgment

  • “There’s no shame anywhere in this book. And that lets Catherine have a really complete experience of her sexuality…” (B, 35:29)

• Timely Becomes Timeless

  • “Jason Reynolds… says in [the Judy Blume Forever documentary] that he doesn’t think Judy Blume was setting out to write something timeless. She set out to write something timely, and she did it so well that it became timeless.” (B, 11:16)

4. The Book’s Continued Controversy and Book Banning

• A True Banned Book Staple

  • “It was number 7 on the ALA’s 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books from 1990 to 2000… Second most banned and challenged as recently as 2005... currently banned in all public schools in Utah.” (B, 17:26)

• Why It’s Still Relevant

  • “If someone reads this, they are going to be more likely to have sex and that’s okay. And that’s good because it helps them, and they’re going to do it anyway.” (A, 18:36)
  • “I don’t think this book is going to make them more likely to have sex, but it will make them more likely to have satisfying, safer sex. And we want that.” (B, 19:04)

5. Sex, Communication, and Growth

• Open Communication and Difficult Moments

  • “Communication is hard, and it’s necessary, and it gives the readers a model for that that I think is still radical.” (B, 13:56)
  • The book portrays awkward, honest, sometimes difficult negotiations between Michael and Catherine, highlighting both the excitement and anxiety of first love.

• Breakups Aren’t Failures

  • “That something can end and that doesn’t mean it was bad. I think is actually still extremely relevant.” (A, 14:10)

• Contrasts with Purity Culture

  • “I have sat in a youth group meeting where someone is holding an orange and being like, for every person you have sex with before you’re married, like, take a piece of the orange and throw it away... Judy Blume is writing in direct, almost protest to that.” (B, 14:50)

6. Historical Context and Limitations

• A Product of Its Time—But Still Resonant

  • “It feels both timeless and very specifically like a relic of its time. We don’t talk about bodies in the same way that Catherine and her mom talk about bodies. But the nuts and bolts of Forever are still relevant and relatable.” (B, 29:04)

• Missing Experiences/Voices

  • The book’s cultural and class context is white, middle class, and cis-het. “This is not a universal document, it’s a historical one… all documents are historical.” (A, 60:06)

7. Side Characters and Missed Opportunities

• The B Story: Artie

  • Artie, a closeted gay friend, attempts suicide—a storyline given some space but less depth than it would receive today: “There’s no Judy Blume for Artie.” (A, 40:02)

• Sybil Davison as an Unwritten Heroine?

  • “Are we sure we didn’t want Sybil Davidson’s story? Are we sure we didn’t want her to be the main character?” (A, 56:40)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• All-Time Opening Line

  • “Sybil Davison has a genius IQ and has been laid by at least six different guys.” —Read at [51:48], discussed at [51:53]
  • “If you’re a teenager in 1975 and that’s the opening line, buckle up…” (B, 53:02)

• On Book Learning vs Experience

  • “I used to think if you read enough books you’d automatically know how to do everything the right way.” —[53:59], B

• On Owning Desire

  • “When we kissed again, Michael used his tongue. I wanted him to.” —[32:24], B

• On Rites of Passage

  • “My mother said, you can’t go back to holding hands.” —[54:09], A

• On the Upside of Banning

  • “The best argument for the power of books is to see what books are banned.” —[19:11], A

• On Surviving Adolescence

  • ”It’s strange, when it comes right down to it, I never do fall apart, even when I’m sure I will.” —[57:16], A

• Cultural Relics

  • “Michael and Catherine go on a special date. He had planned a special celebration. First we went to see Candide at the Paper Mill Playhouse.” (B, 42:43)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | Highlights | |------------|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:26 | Themes & History | “First Love, the First Time, and the Facts of Life.” | | 07:08 | Plot Deep Dive | Overview of Catherine & Michael’s relationship | | 11:16 | On Timelessness | Jason Reynolds on Bloom’s motives | | 13:56 | Sex Positivity | Sex isn’t portrayed with judgment, honesty about pressure | | 17:26 | Banning History | Stats & contemporary bans | | 29:04 | Reading Today | Both timely and a period piece | | 32:24 | Sex & Communication| “I wondered if it would ever work out right between us…” | | 40:02 | Artie’s Story | LGBTQ themes, missed expansion | | 51:44 | Notable First Line | “Sybil Davison has a genius IQ…” | | 59:00 | Audience Value? | Who is this book for today? | | 63:30 | Adaptations | Netflix update; value of interiority in prose |

Buzzworthy Points and Straight Thoughts

• “Ralph” the penis: Michael names his penis “Ralph”—an in-joke for generations of readers. (B, 26:55)
• Parents as Meddlers: The adults are nosy, meddling, and controlling, yet also weirdly permissive — “they can sleep over?!” (B, 41:18)
• Teen couples going to see Candide: “If they're not... that's the person they were trying to break her up with, the guy who took her to see Candide.” (A, 42:56)
• Boys Would Benefit: “Teenage boys would have done very well and would do very well to read this book.” (A, 43:49)
• Porn vs. Forever: Today’s teens are shaped by exposure to porn, making “Forever” even more radical as “sex education.” (B, 45:42)
• Is Forever Still Enough? — Even as sexual mores and technologies change, the central issues (communication, desire, relationship negotiation) remain powerful and relevant.

Adaptations & Documentary

• 2025 Netflix Series:
  • Contemporary, set in LA, focused on two Black teens—faithful to spirit but not the letter; omits big book conversations about sex.
  • “It’s just more a great thing that happens to have been inspired by a Judy Blume book than it is an actual representation of the Judy Blume book.” (B, 65:19)
• 2023 Documentary:
  • “Judy Blume Forever” explores the author’s impact; recommended as a companion for readers and educators.

Takeaways for the Dinner Party (Cocktail Party Knowledge)

• “Forever…” is a groundbreaking and still-relevant book about teenage first love and sex.
• It was one of the first YA novels to treat teen sexuality with honesty and positivity, and remains one of the most banned books in America—proof of its impact.
• Reading “Forever…” lays groundwork for understanding how modern YA and honest sex-ed fiction for teens came to be.
• Despite changing times, its themes of desire, communication, and growth are universal.

Zero to Well-Read Scores

| Category | Score (out of 10) | Justification | |-------------------------------|----------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | Historical Importance | 9.5 | Nearly invented YA; still cited everywhere | | Readability | 9 | Fast, engaging, approachable prose | | Current Relevance (Questions) | 10 | Central questions persist for teens | | Book Nerd Read Cred | 5–6 | More for Gen X/Millennial; less for Gen Z | | “Oh, Damn” Factor | 7–7.5 | Still surprising/frank re: sex and emotions |

Further Reading & Recommendations

• “24 Seconds From Now” by Jason Reynolds: A contemporary YA novel inspired by “Forever…” with a male perspective.
• “Judy Blume Forever” (Documentary, Prime Video): Excellent primer on Judy Blume’s life and legacy.
• Other Judy Blume titles: Each is a frank, affirming, and relatable exploration of different coming-of-age topics.

Final Word

“Forever…” endures because it faces young love—and sex—head-on with candor and empathy. Its frankness still resonates and scandalizes, and it remains required reading for anyone who cares about honest conversations with, and about, young adults.