I n 1975, Judy Blume released Forever, a YA novel about a young woman falling in love for the first time and losing her virginity. Almost immediately, it was deemed controversial by those who believed it was too sexually explicit for young readers, with some states going so far as to ban the book from schools.

Mara Brock Akil, showrunner of Netflix's gender-swapped, L.A.-set 'Forever,' explains why Blume's work is as relevant as ever — and attracting Hollywood's attention.

I have never read a Judy Blume book. I have always been a big reader, but in my 29 years, Blume’s books somehow never made their way to me, despite the reading of them being classically recognized as a rite of passage for girls navigating youth and young adulthood.