[Forever …] may be just the book to replace the now dated Seventeenth Summer even though it is officially coming out as an "adult" book…. Once the thousands of girls who grew to love Judy Blume when she led them through their first menstrual periods with Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret find that she is now offering to lead them through their first experiences with sexual intercourse, they will seek out the book regardless of whether or not we have it at school—which in this day of book banning and censorship struggles is unlikely.

One of the reasons that as an adult book about young love, Forever stands out in vivid contrast to the adult movies about young love is that if adults do read it, it will be adult women—not men. Instead of erring (or perhaps leaning is a better word) on the side...