Genre 6: Fiction, Fantasy, YA: The First Part Last

Posted by Tamra S , Wednesday, July 28, 2010 9:35 AM

Bibliographic Data

Johnson, Angela. 2003. The First Part Last. New York: Random House. Audiobook [unabridged].

Summary and Analysis
Narrated wonderfully by Khalipa Oldjohn, The First Part Last is a story about a New York City teenager who becomes a single father. He and his girlfriend, Nia, accidentally became pregnant. The two teens decide to put the baby up for adoption, but when the unexpected happens, Bobby takes on the role of being a father, a decision that will alter his life and future. Bobby struggles to balance high school and fatherhood as he desires to be the best father he can be to his daughter, Feather. Bobby has to find the balance between being a teenage boy and being a man. Told from sixteen-year-old Bobby's point of view, The First Part Last is an emotional and engaging fiction novel that looks at the issue of teen pregnancy and the decisions it involves from an insider's perspective.

The story's chapters switch back and forth between "Then" and "Now." Bobby relates the unfolding of events from when Nia found out she was pregnant to how he became a father in the "Then" chapters. In the "Now" chapters, Bobby tells what is currently happening and how it is being a father to Feather. The story is told with vivid detail, such as when Bobby is comparing Nia's house to his own. Johnson made the story more realistic by using language that is likely used by teens, which certainly makes the book more appropriate for older students in grades 9 and up. In this audio version, the narration by Khalipa Oldjohn is captivating and believable.

Awards and Reviews
*2004 Coretta Scott King Award
*2004 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature
*School Library Journal: Brief, poetic, and absolutely riveting, this gem of a novel tells the story of a young father struggling to raise an infant. © 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
*Booklist: At 16, [Bobby's] scared to be raising his baby, Feather, but he's totally devoted to caring for her, even as she keeps him up all night, and he knows that his college plans are on hold. . . from the first page, readers feel the physical reality of Bobby's new world. . . Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again. © American Library Association.

Connections
*Have students discuss Bobby's decision. Do they agree or disagree? Why? What do they think they would do in his position?
*Focus on the author's style: language, sensory details, and using Bobby's voice to tell the story.
*Determine how the setting impacted the story and how the story may or may not change if the setting were different.

References

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