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Forever . . . (Richard Jackson Book) Kindle Edition
Judy Blume’s groundbreaking novel about first relationships, first love, and…the first time—now with a stunning new look!
The bed is brass, covered with a patchwork quilt, and “nice and firm,” Michael says, “in case you’re interested.”
Katherine is interested.
Katherine and Michael are ready—for each other, for love. Katherine is ready for her first time. They are both ready for this to be forever. They are perfect together, inseparable. Until the summer separates them, and Katherine meets Theo. But she and Michael are truly in love. That means forever. Right? Is this really the love of a lifetime, or the very beginning of a lifetime of love?
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAtheneum Books for Young Readers
- Publication dateJuly 10, 2012
- Reading age14 years and up
- Grade level7 - 9
- File size1.9 MB
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From the Publisher


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-- "The New York Times Book Review"
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Sybil Davison has a genius I.Q. and has been laid by at least six different guys. She told me herself, the last time she was visiting her cousin, Erica, who is my good friend. Erica says this is because of Sybil’s fat problem and her need to feel loved—the getting laid part, that is. The genius I.Q. is just luck or genes or something. I’m not sure that either explanation is 100 percent right but generally Erica is very good at analyzing people.
I don’t know Sybil that well since she lives in Summit and we live in Westfield. Erica and I decided to go to her New Year’s party at the last minute for two reasons—one, because that’s when she invited us, and, two, we had nothing better to do.
It turned out to be a fondue party. There were maybe twenty of us sitting on the floor around a low table in Sybil’s family room. On the table were a couple of big pots of steaming liquid Swiss cheese and baskets of bread chunks. Each of us had a long two-pronged fork, to spear the bread, then dip it into the cheese. It tasted pretty good. I had gotten about two bites when this guy said, “You’ve got some on your chin.”
He was on Erica’s other side, sort of leaning across her. “You want me to wipe it off?” He held out his napkin.
I couldn’t tell if he was putting me on or what. So I told him, “I can wipe my own chin,” and I tried to swallow the bread that was still in my mouth.
“I’m Michael Wagner,” he said.
“So?” I answered, as Erica shot me a look.
She introduced herself to Michael, then tapped me on the head and said, “This idiot is my friend, Katherine. Don’t mind her… she’s a little strange.”
“I noticed,” Michael said. He wore glasses, had a lot of reddish-blond hair and a small mole on his left cheek. For some crazy reason I thought about touching it.
I looked away and went back to spearing chunks of bread. The guy on my other side said, “My name’s Fred. I live next door to Sybil. I’m a freshman at Dartmouth.” Unfortunately he was also a creep.
After a while I tuned him out but he didn’t know and kept blabbing away. I was more interested in what Michael was saying to Erica. I wondered where he went to school and hoped it was some place close, like Rutgers. Erica told him that we’re from Westfield, that we’re seniors, and that we’re spending the night at Sybil’s. Then Michael introduced her to somebody named Elizabeth and I turned around in time to see him put his arm around this pale dark-haired girl sitting next to him. I pretended to be interested in Fred the Creep after all.
At midnight Sybil flashed the lights on and off and Fred wished me a Happy New Year, then tried to stuff his tongue in my mouth. I kept my lips shut tight; while he was kissing me I was watching Michael kiss Elizabeth. He was much taller than I first thought and thin, but not skinny.
After the party we helped Sybil and her parents clean up and somewhere around 3:00 a.m. we trudged upstairs to bed. Sybil conked out as soon as her head hit the pillow but Erica and I had trouble getting to sleep, maybe because we were on the floor in sleeping bags, or maybe because Sybil was snoring so loud.
Erica whispered, “Michael’s a nice guy… don’t you think so?”
“He’s much too tall for you,” I told her. “You’d only come up to his belly button.”
“He might enjoy that.”
“Oh, Erica!”
She propped herself up on an elbow and said, “You like him, don’t you?”
“Don’t be silly… we barely met.” I rolled over, facing the wall.
“Yeah… but I can tell anyway.”
“Go to sleep!”
“He asked me for your last name and your phone number.”
I turned around. “He did?”
“Uh huh… but I guess you don’t care about that.” She buried herself inside her sleeping bag.
I gave her a half-hearted kick. Then we both laughed and fell asleep.
Erica and I have been friends since ninth grade. We’re a good pair because she is outspoken and uninhibited and I’m not. She says she has to be that way to compensate for her size. She’s just four-feet-ten—so when I said that she would come up to Michael’s belly button I wasn’t kidding. Everyone in her family is tiny. That’s how her great-grandfather got their last name. He came to this country from Russia, not speaking a word of English. So when he stepped off the boat and the man in charge asked him his name, he didn’t understand. Instead of just calling him Cohen or Goldberg, the way the immigration officers did with so many Jewish refugees, this man sized him up and wrote down Mr. Small. Erica swears if she ever marries she will choose someone huge so that if they decide to have children the kids will at least have a chance to grow to normal size.
Not that being little has hurt anyone in her family. Her mother is Juliette Small, the film critic. You can read her reviews in three national magazines. Because of her Erica is positive she’s going to get into Radcliffe, even though her grades aren’t that hot. I have a 92 average so I almost died when I saw my college board scores. They were below average. Erica scored much higher than I did. She doesn’t fall apart over really important things and I’m always afraid I might. That’s another difference between us.
The phone rang at noon the next day and woke me. Sybil jumped up and ran to answer it. When she came back she said, “That was Michael Wagner. He’s coming over to get his records.” She yawned and flopped back on her bed. Erica was still out cold.
I asked Sybil, “Does he go with that girl, Elizabeth?”
“Not that I know of… why, are you interested?”
“No… just curious.”
“… because I could drop a hint if you want me to…”
“No… don’t.”
“I’ve known him since kindergarten.”
“He’s in your class?”
“My homeroom.”
“Oh… I thought he was older.”
“He’s a senior… same as us.”
“Oh…” He seemed older. “Well… as long as I’m awake I might as well get dressed,” I said, heading for the bathroom.
Sybil and I were in the kitchen when the bell rang. I was picking raisins out of a breakfast bun, piling them in the corner of my plate. Sybil leaned against the refrigerator, spooning strawberry yogurt out of the carton.
She answered the front door and showed Michael into the kitchen. “You remember Katherine, don’t you?” she asked him.
“Sure… hi…” Michael said.
“Oh… hi,” I said back.
“Your records are still downstairs,” Sybil told him. “I’ll get them for you.”
“That’s okay,” Michael said. “I’ll get them myself.”
A few seconds later he called, “Who’s K.D.?”
“Me,” I answered. “Some of those albums are mine.” I went downstairs and started going through the pile. “Are yours marked?”
“No.”
I was making a stack of K.D.s when he said, “Look…” and grabbed my wrist. “I came over here because I wanted to see you again.”
“Oh, well…” I saw my reflection in his glasses.
“Is that all you can say?”
“What am I supposed to say?”
“Do I have to write the script?”
“Okay… I’m glad you came over.”
He smiled. “That’s better. How about a ride? My car’s out front.”
“My father’s coming to pick me up at 3:00. I have to be back by then.”
“That’s okay.” He was still holding my wrist.
Product details
- ASIN : B008737VJU
- Publisher : Atheneum Books for Young Readers
- Accessibility : Learn more
- Publication date : July 10, 2012
- Edition : Reissue
- Language : English
- File size : 1.9 MB
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Not Enabled
- Print length : 220 pages
- ISBN-13 : 978-1442467804
- Page Flip : Enabled
- Grade level : 7 - 9
- Lexile measure : HL590L
- Reading age : 14 years and up
- Best Sellers Rank: #61,238 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, NJ, making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places, doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. Adults as well as children will recognize such Blume titles as: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; Superfudge; Blubber; Just As Long As We're Together; and Forever. She has also written the best-selling novels Wifey; Smart Women; and, Summer Sisters. More than 75 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into twenty-six languages.
She receives thousands of letters each month from readers of all ages who share their feelings and
concerns with her.
Judy received a B.S. in education from New York University in 1961, which named her a Distinguished Alumna in 1996, the same year that American Library Association honored her with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement. She has won more than ninety awards, none more important than those coming directly from her youngest readers.
She serves on the boards of the Author's Guild, currently as Vice President; the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, where she sponsors an award for contemporary fiction; and the National Coalition Against Censorship, working to protect intellectual freedom. In Spring 2002, Judy was a spokesperson for the Cheerios "A Book for Every Child" literacy campaign which benefited Reading is Fundamental, America's largest literacy organization. She is also the founder and trustee of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation.
Judy's first book in the Fudge series, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, was published in 1972. She is thrilled to be celebrating its 30th Anniversary with the publication of Double Fudge. Just as generations of fans have loved the Fudge books, generations of Judy's family have inspired them. Thirty years ago, Fudge was inspired by her son, Larry, and now Double Fudge was written at the request of her grandson, Elliot.
Judy lives on islands up and down the East Coast with her husband George Cooper. They have three grown children and one grandchild.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book great from beginning to end, with a super sweet love story that succeeds in presenting a representative teenage romance. Moreover, the book is particularly suitable for junior high age girls and provides great life lessons, while being realistic and fast-paced. However, the writing quality receives mixed feedback, with some finding it eloquently written while others note it could be more mature. Additionally, character development is also mixed, with some finding them easy to relate to while others say they were hardly developed.
AI Generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as an all-time favorite that is great from beginning to end.
"...I really enjoyed this book and the memorable moments like how Kath and Michael met at a New Year's party to their many dates and their love scenes...." Read more
"...I won’t spoil the ending for you, but I will say that this is a wonderful book...." Read more
"...It is MUCH more than just a racy book. Judy Blume accurately captured the joy and pain of falling in love and losing it all...." Read more
"...whirlwind love affairs, I appreciate that there is more honest, balanced literature available." Read more
Customers appreciate the romance in the book, describing it as a beautiful novel of first love that succeeds in presenting a representative teenage relationship, with one customer noting how it takes readers through the couple's entire journey together.
"...I felt like it was a realist look at first love and first sexual relationships. It felt true and took me back in time...." Read more
"...The novel follows their entire relationship, and Blume presents a realistic, though ultimately unhappy, look at young love...." Read more
"...This is a coming of age story which succeeds in presenting a representative teenage romance between two typical teenagers...." Read more
"...This particular story deals with first love and intimacy in a very honest way. Read banned books - you might learn something" Read more
Customers find the book's content enlightening and thought-provoking, particularly for teens, with one customer noting how it connects to high school experiences.
"...I really enjoyed this book and the memorable moments like how Kath and Michael met at a New Year's party to their many dates and their love scenes...." Read more
"...Lots of memories came flooding back, as I was only a couple of years older than the characters in the book, at the time it was published...." Read more
"...Though written in the 70's, its subject matter is as relevant today, if not more, as it was back then...." Read more
"...Though young, they are enter into a mature relationship. Those points alone are enough for me, were I parent, to allow my child to read this book...." Read more
Customers find this book suitable for young teens, particularly junior high age girls, with one customer noting it works well as a mother-daughter read.
"...I think this book has likely helped a lot of young people of my generation, at the time written, and is still helping young people today...." Read more
"While this book is aimed at teen girls, a male friend of mine had a copy and let me borrow it; he'd read the Blume books as a teen, hoping to get "..." Read more
"...say this book is "preverted", but I actually think it is a good book for young adults that want to know a bit more about sex and birth control...." Read more
"...The writing, however, was extremely juvenile...." Read more
Customers find the book realistic, with one review noting its matter-of-fact tone and another mentioning its authentic portrayal of first love.
"...even the relationship between Katherine and her parents is realistic and open...." Read more
"...The book is explicit but not graphic...." Read more
"...She also has no dignity, intelligence, or common sense. She is not worldly, nor inquisitive, nor contemplative...." Read more
"...I was inspired to give it a whirl. I felt like it was a realist look at first love and first sexual relationships...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book, with some finding it eloquently written and easy to read, while others note that the prose is choppy and could be more mature.
"...It is well written and fast paced and brings me right back to high school. All the feelings of young lover come rushing back when I read this book...." Read more
"...Forever, by Judy Blume, is definitely dated. The dialogue is stilted. None of the characters are fully developed...." Read more
"...Judy Blume's writing and style are simplistic, which makes the message in her novel attainable for those younger readers...." Read more
"...Blume's well-crafted writing blends these stories together delicately, including perspectives of some friends, siblings, and parents, to produce a..." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some finding them easy to relate to while others note that they were hardly developed.
"...I loved that the book had a very realistic teen voice, even when discussing adult matters of sexuality...." Read more
"...The book had to be good, to get me riled up and angry at the protagonist...." Read more
"...Michael and Katherine were realistic characters that I couldn’t help but root for, even though I knew that the odds would be against them...." Read more
"...The dialogue is stilted. None of the characters are fully developed...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it fast-paced while others describe it as slow.
"...Honestly, it was a CHORE to read this book. Any intelligent teen might actually get angry at the simplified text and ignorant use of grammar...." Read more
"...It is well written and fast paced and brings me right back to high school. All the feelings of young lover come rushing back when I read this book...." Read more
"...been a “breakthrough” at the time, but it’s just horribly dated and boring now." Read more
"...While some may find this not exciting or worth reading, I feel that for those who can handle the sensitive material, it is a great book to read..." Read more
Reviews with images

33 years and counting...A must read!!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2025Format: KindleVerified PurchaseJust read this classic for the first time. Judy Blume really gets it. Life, that is. Every teen should read this.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2010Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified PurchaseMAY CONTAIN SPOILER - IN FACT...DOES
I absolutely loved this book and it may just be one of my favorite Judy Blume books, though I'm only 18 and so I didn't grow up in my early teens with Judy like my mom. I really enjoyed this book and the memorable moments like how Kath and Michael met at a New Year's party to their many dates and their love scenes. The book seemed to treat the subject of smoking grass quite lightly (Michael's sister smokes it with her boyfriend in their apartment like it's no thing, but it was the seventies and all the rage so...). It touched on birth control and VD, which was heavy stuff back in that time. I'm so glad this book had responsible teens when it came to sex; they took all precautions and their first encounters were entertaining and quite enlightening. I love books like this about teenage love and lust and I was so disappointed towards the end and would you like to know why? Kath and Michael had been together for a few months and were pretty serious about each other and apparently the parents didn't seem to like this because the kids would be going off to college in the fall. Kath and Michael were separated from each other for the summer, but they wrote each other back and forth and it was sweet, but Kath met a guy at her tennis camp and they became friendly and gradually, she found it difficulty writing to Michael anymore and especially saying I LOVE YOU or LOVE in her letters; and that's when I became angry. This was the point in the story where the title and whole point came into play. You think something will last forever and most of the time, you want it too. Unfortunately Michael, and Kath for that matter, learn this the hard way and both end up getting hurt - Michael the most. You can want your relationship to last forever and if both parties are dead bent on that notion, then maybe things can work out, but realistically (especially when things purposely drive the two apart) obstacles can get in the way and who is really that strong to resist temptation. The book had to be good, to get me riled up and angry at the protagonist. The couple I followed in the book and grew to enjoy together, did not stay together. *sigh* IT was great and followed through. I really recommend it to the rare younger teens much like I was because in this day and age, teens really don't believe in that mushy gushy love and romance stuff anymore. It's a definitely a good read.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2013As a teenager I was a big fan of Judy Blume. I devoured Are you there God? It’s Me Margaret and felt like she was writing just for me. Somehow I never read Forever until now. I actually picked up the book for a college course I’m taking on Banned Books and Censorship. Our first unit is on Young Adult literature and Forever was on the reading list. Since I enjoyed Blume’s work as a teen I thought I’d enjoy Forever as well.
Forever is the story of young love between Katherine and Michael. Seniors in high school, they meet and cannot get enough of each other. As young relationships are wont to do, they get very serious about one another very quickly and their relationship becomes more physical in nature. The book follows their young relationship and blooming sexuality in a very real way.
I loved that the book had a very realistic teen voice, even when discussing adult matters of sexuality. Reading about sex from the viewpoint of teens is very different than reading about it in an adult novel, and Judy Blume nails the voice. I felt Katherine’s confusion as she grows more attached to Michael and felt her pain when they are separated. I think every girl has had a high school love that she couldn’t image being separated from.
I won’t spoil the ending for you, but I will say that this is a wonderful book. It is well written and fast paced and brings me right back to high school. All the feelings of young lover come rushing back when I read this book. I love Blume’s straightforward style and the fact that nothing is sugar coated. even the relationship between Katherine and her parents is realistic and open.
From the standpoint of my banned books class, I can see now why Forever might be considered inappropriate to some schools. There are some very vivid sexual scenes in the book that might frighten a parent. I personally don’t think that books of any sort should be banned, and Forever isn’t presenting any material that high school students aren’t talking about or experiencing on their own, but parents and schools might be wary of putting those ideas into the minds of students who aren’t already exposed to them.
If you’ve never read Judy Blume, you simply have to read Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, and then move right on to Forever.
Top reviews from other countries
- Faisal Ahmad BhatReviewed in India on May 13, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice
Nice
- babykel01Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 9, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Every teen should read this book!!
Excellent read.
Judy Blume skillfully and honestly portrays the challenges, experienced by all teens and young adults, of transitioning from holding hands to a relationship with both emotional and sexual responsibility. She informs her readers that a relationship can have real consequences without being condescending towards them.
Even at the age of 28, I was able to relate to this book as I also experienced my first love at 17 going on 18 and am lucky enough to still be with him today.
I think the message of this book is that it's perfectly normal to get swept up in the excitement of your first love and your first time, but be sensible and keep yourself safe. Be responsible.
I will definitely be giving this book to my younger sister, who is 15 years old.
To any parents who are unsure about the appropriateness of this book, my advice would be to read it first yourselves then decide.
This book is intelligent, informative and relatable.
One person found this helpfulReport - Amazon CustomerReviewed in Australia on March 17, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Great one for teenage girls
I really enjoyed this book. Blume covers teenage love from a mature angle, and gives Katherine admirable strength and sense.
- BEDDE65Reviewed in Canada on October 23, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars ❤Judy Blume ~ Novel's Are💯% 5️⃣ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseHave always loved this author from childhood my first book I recall reading was "Otherwise Known As Sheila The Great" ! It just kept going on from there. I use to save my $ & purchased many of her preteen books such as "Are You There God, It's Me Margaret", "Then Again Maybe I Won't" & I continued. I always asked for these books which I did not have for gifts for birthdays & Hanukkah !
But many don't know Judy Blume wrote many books that are all not considered preteen !
Like this book "FOREVER" I purchased this when I was probably 17 or 18 it is not meant in my opinion for an under 16 audience ! Well without parental discretion !
I am far older now, I of all Judy Blume novels I loved this book so much that I had to get another copy of it. I'd had it on my Amazon wishlist for quite while now ! So I received $50.00 for a birthday gift recently to use for a "whatever I wanted" gift !
Here it is 40+ years later & I now
re-own a copy of this fantastic book !
- R HReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
A great coming of age story, definitely worth a read as a teenager - wish I'd found it sooner!!😬