THE FIRST PART LAST

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Johnson, Angela. THE FIRST PART LAST. 2003. New York: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. ISBN 0689849222

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Bobby, the main character in THE FIRST PART LAST speaking in first person, tells the story of his journey to and through fatherhood at age 16. He and his beloved girlfriend, Nia, discover she is pregnant and using alternating chapters “Then” and “Now” take the reader back and forth to a time before Feather is born and then after. Bobby and Nia, a middle class couple, struggle through the pregnancy together. Tragedy strikes during delivery and Nia’s eclampsia sends her into a coma and complications results in brain damage. Bobby opts out of adoption, a decision that was made when Nia was pregnant with Feather, and decides to raise the infant on his own. With little help from Nia's parents or his own, he describes the joy and tremendous hardship of raising a child alone.

At the end of the book Bobby makes a big decision he believes is best for his child. He leaves his school, friends, parents and the city he loves and moves to a city named Heaven to be near his supportive brother, a father of two children himself.

3. CRITICAL REVIEW

Angela Johnson paints a realistic picture of the hardships of an unplanned teenage pregnancy and its aftermath. Her choice of first person is a good one as the reader empathizes with the feelings of a young boy living with challenges too hard for his young age. A bad choice (unprotected sex) forever alters his life, his child’s, the child’s mother, Nia, and his friends and family. Although the love he feels for his daughter, Feather, is never challenged, the hardship of parenting a child while still being a child is evident. Bobby misses his life before the “big mistake” but his responsibility and devotion to Feather take priority. He regrets not using good common sense when it comes to sex, but he does not regret having Feather, feelings very confusing and frustrating at times. “Things have to change…I figure if the world were really right, humans would live life backward and do the first part last (p. 4).”

Johnson writes beautifully, almost like prose. The last words in her chapters compel the reader to read “just one more.” Although this book is not long, it packs a lot of punch. Johnson puts a lot of feeling into few words. “…I always kiss her, my baby, and look into her clear eyes that know everything about me, and want me to be her daddy anyway (p. 81).”

The reader is not privy to the reason Bobby is raising Feather alone until the end of the book. There we understand Nia has complications during pregnancy that send her into an everlasting coma. Throughout the book the reader wonders, why is this young boy raising a child alone? Where is the mother? When we discover Bobby made a life changing decision to raise his child alone instead of opting for adoption, all the pieces fall together and we understand the situation.

Johnson does not glorify teenage pregnancy at all. But she does have the reader understand that there are teenagers in the world who can act mature and responsibly in the face of life altering challenges. Bobby does not leave Nia during her pregnancy. They make decisions together.

Although Johnson realistically portrays teenage thoughts and feelings, their circumstances force them to grow up fast. It is obvious their decision to have unprotected sex results in what should be carefree times and fun into anxiety, fear, regrets, responsibility and hard, hard decisions. Johnson accomplishes this with tender realistic writing. She is not preachy. She portrays a young man who simply owns up to his responsibilities in life, even those decisions that change his live forever

In fact if I were to choose a theme for this book, it would be changes in life in light of decisions made (in this case unprotected sex when both parties know the potential consequences.). Johnson speaks often of the changes the action of Nia and Bobby had on many lives, not just their own. Bobby’s whole life changes. Nia’s whole life changes. Nothing is the same anymore.

The author develops her characters well. The reader knows just enough about them to feel their feelings, especially Bobby’s and Nia’s. We get to know Bobby’s parents as well as Nia’s. We also feel comfortable with K-Boy and J.L., Bobby’s best friends. The reader knows where each character stands in relation to Bobby and Nia’s circumstances.

There were unanswered questions and gaps in the story for me. As close as Nia and Bobby were, I did not sense a great feeling of loss when Nia lapsed into a coma. I was not sure why Bobby chose to leave the city and his devoted friends to live in Heaven. Bobby’s lapse into irresponsibility when he created “street art” on the brick wall did not make sense to me. I also wondered how Bobby supported Feather.

Even though I had these looming questions, this is a great read for young adolescents. The characters in this novel delve into actions that could happen to the reader. Although teenagers are forever being told the consequences of unprotected sex, little seems to sink in. They seem to be of the mindset, “But that won’t happen to me.” Johnson realistically “shows” not only that it could, but what it might look like if it did.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

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. The attractive cover photo of a young black man cradling an infant will attract readers.

Booklist (Starred Review) - There's no romanticizing. The exhaustion is real… But from the first page, readers feel the physical reality of Bobby's new world: what it's like to hold Feather on his stomach, smell her skin, touch her clenched fists, feel her shiver, and kiss the top of her curly head. Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again. The great cover photo shows the strong African American teen holding his tiny baby in his arms.

Publishers Weekly - (Starred Review) - As the past and present threads join in the final chapter, readers will only clamor for more about this memorable father-daughter duo — and an author who so skillfully relates the hope in the midst of pain.

Kirkus Reviews - By narrating from a realistic first-person voice, Johnson manages to convey a story that is always complex, never preachy. The somewhat pat ending doesn't diminish the impact of this short, involving story. It's the tale of one young man and his choices, which many young readers will appreciate and enjoy.

Winner of the 2004 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Literature for Young Adults

Johnson is the winner of the 2004 Coretta Scott King Award for Best African-American Children's Writer

YALSA 2004 – One of the top ten best books for young adults.

5. CONNECTIONS

I had a personal connection to this story. My daughter had a baby when she was a junior in high school. Unlike Bobby’s mother, my husband and I gave Hope all of our support because Austin’s father left Hope the instant he found out she was pregnant. While reading this book, I had immense respect for Johnson’s main characters. Not all fathers walk away. I think of how much different Austin’s life would have been had his father stayed. It’s also realistic to say that a situation does change every facet of life in the teenagers and their family’s lives. I think it’s wonderful to think that there are young men who embrace the consequences of their actions – step up to the plate, so to speak. Little Feather seemed real to me, giving concrete proof that background knowledge will impact how readers read.

Have a discussion about how Bobby's decisions were shaped by his new role as a single dad at such a young age. How might his life have been different?

When Bobby became a single dad, how did the relationship he had with his friends change?

Think of other actions made in an impulsive moment can change one’s life.

Angela wrote a novel previous to THE LAST PART FIRST titled HEAVEN, a Coretta Scott King award winner. Readers may enjoy reading both of these novels.

Have the students write in letter or journal entry about what their daily life entails and how it would change if they had an infant depending on them for their very existence. Do the students think Bobby made the right decision to keep Feather? Why or why not?