The First Part Last

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. Perfection Learning Pre Bind (2005). ISBN 978-0-7569-3925-0

Plot Summary

                Bobby is a sixteen year old father.  His daughter, Feather, wears him out.  He is clearly sleep deprived and every aspect of his life is suffering from that.  His girlfriend Nia, whom he loved, went into a comma immediately after the baby was born.  Now Bobby has to take care of this baby on his own.  This book relays his struggles with living everyday life.  He eventually takes a much needed break but to do the wrong thing.  He gets arrested for spray painting on a public wall and almost ruins the fragile balance he has been maintaining. 

                While there is the harsh reality of the responsibility a baby represents, there is also the beauty a baby brings into a parent’s life.  There are poetic descriptions of Bobby’s interactions with Feather – how she lays on his chest and cuddles up to him.  She keeps him constantly exhausted but there are times when everything is calm and the reader can see how much he loves her.

Critical Evaluation

                While teenage pregnancy is never the ideal situation, this book tells the realistic story of what that might entail.  Bobby’s mom says she won’t help him with the baby because it was his choice to keep her.  This seems real to me because many teenage parents don’t get help from anyone.  Bobby still has to go to school, even when he hasn’t slept at all the night before.  The consequences of having a baby are all laid out very clearly.  But there is also mention of the amazing joy babies can bring with them.  It is a lovely balance, which is reflected in Angela’s writing style. 

Reader’s Annotation

The story of a young man who becomes a father and the struggles he faces.

Author’s Information

Angela not only writes YA novels but she also has written picture books, poetry and short stories.The First Part Last was Angela’s final YA novel.   A biography of Angela can be found here: http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Ge-La/Johnson-Angela.html#b

Genre

Sexuality and Gender

Book Talking Ideas

This is a book that portrays the realities of having a baby.  If anyone needs any kind of help in the “don’t get pregnant because you’ll have a baby to take care of” department, they can read this book and get a good idea of what it will be like. 

Reading Level/Interest

12/15

Challenge Issues

This book deals with teen pregnancy and then the idea of a 16 year old taking care of a baby by himself.  This is sure to outrage some parents, but the message is ultimately a good one for teens to experience. 

Why Include This Title?

This is a very well written book dealing with teen pregnancy and what happens after the baby comes.  Many times it is the story of a teenage mother.  This is the story of a teenage father - one that needed telling.  That is why this is included.