1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Johnson, Angela. 2003. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 0689849237
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a story about a young man named Bobby who is a typical teenager in every way except for the fact that he has become a father. Bobby must grow up fast and make life altering changes as he raises his baby daughter on his own.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This story is told from a teen aged father's point of view. Bobby's story is told in alternating chapters titled "now" and "then." In the chapters titled "now", Bobby describes how his life has changed since he has been a single father to his baby girl, who he named Feather. These chapters tell of Bobby's struggle between the boy he still is and the man he must be in order to raise his daughter. In the chapters titled "then", Bobby describes how life used to be before the birth of his daughter and how his life was so uncomplicated and different at that time. Bobby is very believable as a new teen aged father, both terrified of the future and how he will be able to raise Feather, while at the same time loving his daughter more than anything in the world.
The other characters in the book are believable also. Bobby's girlfriend, Nia, is described as a typical teenager forced to grow up too fast because of an unplanned pregnancy. It is later revealed why Nia is not in Feather's life and the truth is heartbreaking. Johnson wrote these characters in a way that the reader feels deeply for them. There is sense of loss near the end of the story when Nia's situation is revealed and the reader learns that this young mother will never know her child or live her own life, due to complications from her daughter's birth. There is also a sense of hope at the end of the story as Bobby makes a decision to leave everything he has known and begin a new life in a new place with his daughter.
The plot of this story is very realistic. There are many teenagers and young adults who face the issue of an unplanned pregnancy in the world today. The setting of the story, in urban New York, makes the reader all the more sympathetic to the plight faced by so many urban teenagers who are very poor to begin with, that now have to face not only the emotional issues brought on by the birth of a new baby, but the financial issues as well. The theme of this story is taking responsibility for one's actions. Bobby had to learn to be responsible after he became a father regardless if he was ready or not. His daughter could not wait for him to grow up and become ready for fatherhood. This book was written in a style that reflected the way typical teenagers talk and behave, making it very believable. The slang and expletives used as the characters spoke or thought (in the case of Bobby as his thoughts were a major part of the story) were true to what modern day teenagers would use.
Most readers would expect a book about becoming a parent as a teenager to be written from the perspective of the mother. This book is unique because it explores teenage pregnancy from the perspective of the father. Not very many books have done this before, making this book an excellent story to use with all students in middle school and high school. Both young men and young women would benefit from reading this realistic story of teenage parenthood. This book shows that becoming parents as teenagers effects not only the mother of the child, but also the father.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred review in Booklist: "Poetry."
Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2004.
Starred review in School Library Journal: "Brief, poetic, and absolutely riveting."
5. CONNECTION
*This book would be excellent to use in a middle school or high school health class to teach young people about the realities of parenting.
*Other books about teen parents:
Bechard, Margaret. HANGING ON TO MAX. ISBN 0761315799
Waddell, Martin. TANGO'S BABY. ISBN 1564026159
*Other books by Angela Johnson:
HEAVEN. ISBN 0689822294
LOOKING FOR RED. ISBN 0689832532
TONING THE SWEEP. ISBN 0531054764
Johnson, Angela. 2003. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 0689849237
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a story about a young man named Bobby who is a typical teenager in every way except for the fact that he has become a father. Bobby must grow up fast and make life altering changes as he raises his baby daughter on his own.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This story is told from a teen aged father's point of view. Bobby's story is told in alternating chapters titled "now" and "then." In the chapters titled "now", Bobby describes how his life has changed since he has been a single father to his baby girl, who he named Feather. These chapters tell of Bobby's struggle between the boy he still is and the man he must be in order to raise his daughter. In the chapters titled "then", Bobby describes how life used to be before the birth of his daughter and how his life was so uncomplicated and different at that time. Bobby is very believable as a new teen aged father, both terrified of the future and how he will be able to raise Feather, while at the same time loving his daughter more than anything in the world.
The other characters in the book are believable also. Bobby's girlfriend, Nia, is described as a typical teenager forced to grow up too fast because of an unplanned pregnancy. It is later revealed why Nia is not in Feather's life and the truth is heartbreaking. Johnson wrote these characters in a way that the reader feels deeply for them. There is sense of loss near the end of the story when Nia's situation is revealed and the reader learns that this young mother will never know her child or live her own life, due to complications from her daughter's birth. There is also a sense of hope at the end of the story as Bobby makes a decision to leave everything he has known and begin a new life in a new place with his daughter.
The plot of this story is very realistic. There are many teenagers and young adults who face the issue of an unplanned pregnancy in the world today. The setting of the story, in urban New York, makes the reader all the more sympathetic to the plight faced by so many urban teenagers who are very poor to begin with, that now have to face not only the emotional issues brought on by the birth of a new baby, but the financial issues as well. The theme of this story is taking responsibility for one's actions. Bobby had to learn to be responsible after he became a father regardless if he was ready or not. His daughter could not wait for him to grow up and become ready for fatherhood. This book was written in a style that reflected the way typical teenagers talk and behave, making it very believable. The slang and expletives used as the characters spoke or thought (in the case of Bobby as his thoughts were a major part of the story) were true to what modern day teenagers would use.
Most readers would expect a book about becoming a parent as a teenager to be written from the perspective of the mother. This book is unique because it explores teenage pregnancy from the perspective of the father. Not very many books have done this before, making this book an excellent story to use with all students in middle school and high school. Both young men and young women would benefit from reading this realistic story of teenage parenthood. This book shows that becoming parents as teenagers effects not only the mother of the child, but also the father.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred review in Booklist: "Poetry."
Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2004.
Starred review in School Library Journal: "Brief, poetic, and absolutely riveting."
5. CONNECTION
*This book would be excellent to use in a middle school or high school health class to teach young people about the realities of parenting.
*Other books about teen parents:
Bechard, Margaret. HANGING ON TO MAX. ISBN 0761315799
Waddell, Martin. TANGO'S BABY. ISBN 1564026159
*Other books by Angela Johnson:
HEAVEN. ISBN 0689822294
LOOKING FOR RED. ISBN 0689832532
TONING THE SWEEP. ISBN 0531054764
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