YA Lit Week Two: Forever - Judy Blume - 1975

This book was read for the second week of the YA Lit course.

Course Theme for the Week: History of Young Adults and Young Adult Literature (2-2-2011)

Title: Forever...

Author: Judy Blume

Year: 1975

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Date Read: 2-1-2011

Overall: * * * * *

GoodReads Blurb: Katherine and Michael meet at a New Year's Eve party. They're attracted to each other, they grow to love each other. And once they've decided their love is forever, they make love. It's the beginning of an intense and exclusive relationship, with a future all planned. Until Katherine's parents insist that she and Michael put their love to the test with a summer apart..."Forever" is written for an older age group than Judy Blume's other novels for children. It caused a storm of controversy when it was first published because of its explicit sexual content. It was a book ahead of its time - and remains, after thirty years in print, a teenage best-seller. America's No. 1 children's author has written some of the best books of our time about real-life issues - family stress and pressures, what happens when your parents divorce, the problems of growing up and sexual awakening, bereavement - with insight, sensitivity and honesty. The response of readers all around the world continues to make her one of the best-loved writers ever published.

My Review: This book was also a reread for me. I actually read this for the first time about a year ago. I felt like I was the only 20-something girl who hadn't read Forever yet, so I made it my mission last year. Even as I reread it, I was still struck with how honest and open Katherine is. She is so open and blunt and just very real, so very unlike many of the "woe is me, I need a man, help I am clumsy!" type girls who exist literature now.

I still love how the lesson in the book isn't about pregnancy, it isn't about HIV, it isn't about abusive first boyfriends... it's about love, and how it can feel like it will last forever at times and then that same love can change. It is such an important message for people, of any age, to know. When I was a teenager in love it felt like it would never end, that it could last forever and that I wanted it to last forever. But it didn't, and it's very realistic for people to change, and for feelings and relationships to change, even though so many "first loves" feel never-ending.

I do love that those other messages are still included in the story. Sybil experiences a pregnancy and gives the baby up for adoption, Artie experiences psychological problems, and Katherine visits Planned Parenthood to go on the pill and to get information about being safe. This book pretty much covers all the important bases when it comes to young love and young sex.

To Purchase: Amazon

Currently Reading: Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris, and Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

Currently Listening To: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (read by Carolyn McCormick)

Books Read in 2011: 14

YA Lit Week Two: Weetzie Bat - Francesca Lia Block - 1989

This book was read for the second week of the YA Lit course.

Course Theme for the Week: History of Young Adults and Young Adult Literature (2-2-2011)

Title: Weetzie Bat

Author: Francesca Lia Block

Year: 1989

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date Read: 2-1-2011

Overall: * * * * (4/5)

Amazon Blurb: Weetzie Bat lived in a fairy-tale land of glitter, glitz, and coolness. She had a bleachd-blonde flat-top and pink sunglasses, and cruised around town with her best friend Dirk and her Slinkster Dog pooch in a '55 Pontiac named Jerry.

Weetzie loved L.A., with its plastic palm tree wallets and tomahawks, its cheap cheese and bean burritos, and its surfer dudes. But still, something was missing. So Weetzie made three wishes, and they all came true...

My Review: This was a reread for me. Though, the last time I read it I think I was about 14 years old. I really didn't remember much about it. Weetzie is such a lovely character, she just wants love and happiness for herself and her friends. She wants to live in a glittering fairy land with rose petals and sparkles all around. She just wants goodness.

There are actually a lot of deep messages in this story. About children who have rough childhoods, and how they just want love in their loves and to care for someone else. Weetzie's best friend Dirk is gay, and he finds love in Duck. Duck brings up good points about HIV, though it is not directly stated. But it sounds like it when he says that loving someone shouldn't kill them.

This story is just really beautifully written, as are all of Block's stories. This makes me want to reread Echo, which I remember adoring in high school.

I think younger teenagers would love this book. It is so fantastical and magical, that even though Weetzie and her friends could be real people, they just seem to shimmer and live these wonderful lives full of love and happiness. I don't know if teens would find all of the hidden messages in the story, but I think it would be easy to get the messages about love and caring. I would be interested in hearing other peoples' opinions on the story and in hearing teenagers opinions on it.

To Purchase: Amazon

Currently Reading: Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris

Currently Listening To: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (read by Carolyn McCormick)

Books Read in 2011: 14

Review of Forever... by Judy Blume will be posted later tonight