FICTION, FANTASY, & YA - The First Part Last

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Johnson, Angela. 2003. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 0689849222

PLOT SUMMARY
Angela Johnson’s award-winning novel does justice to the harsh realities of teenage pregnancy and parenting, but it also does so with compassion and insight. Winner of both the Michael L. Printz Award and the Coretta Scott King Award, The First Part Last is a story that young adults will relate to, regardless of their own situations. At sixteen years old, Bobby finds himself a father to an infant. The story begins when Feather, Bobby’s newborn daughter, is eleven days old. In a series of alternating “now” and “then” chapters, the story traces how Bobby came to be a parent. Various aspects of Bobby’s life are revealed through his relationships with Nia (his girlfriend), his divorced parents, his siblings, his long time friends, and Nia’s parents. Infused in each relationship are the thoughts, beliefs, and values that shape Bobby’s decisions about his fatherhood and his ability to succeed in that realm. Juggling school, parenthood, relationships, and even a run-in with the police, Bobby is pushed to the limits and comes face to face with the reality of his life. The novel is a poignant telling of a young protagonist who struggles to make the right choices for himself and his family. The book’s ending reveals a harsh blow that brings full clarity to the situation, and makes Bobby’s character even more dynamic and endearing.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The beauty of Johnson’s novel is that she does not romanticize the idea of teen parenthood. The sordid details are all here, whether it be 3 a.m. emergency room visits, finding a babysitter, facing a school day in a sleep-deprived state, or losing your last clean jacket to a spitting up infant. While it’s true that many teens understand parenting is not a walk in the park, this novel provides the kinds of details about the experience that make its difficulty fully understood. For example, Bobby’s frustrations about parenting are revealed when he says, “This must be it. The place where you really feel it’s all on you, and you got a kid. Feather spent last night in the hospital, with me sitting next to her bed all night long. I’ve had about twenty minutes’ sleep in the last three days.”

The flip-side of Bobby’s life as a parent is also dealt with. Frustrations aside, Johnson paints a beautiful picture of the connection between father and daughter. “Soon Feather is home with me sleeping on my stomach. I’m supposed to be her daddy and stay up all night if I have to. I’m supposed to suck it up and do all the right things if I can, even if I screw it up and have to do it over.” Bobby’s infallibility is part of what makes him such a believable character. When he blows off school one day to tag a wall with a spray painted mural, he pays the price when he’s caught by a police officer and must spend time in jail. He admits to his own fears and frustrations: “I don’t know any of the parent rules, but crying like a baby when you just decided to keep a baby probably shouldn’t happen.” Johnson’s treatment of Bobby’s character shows the raw edges and the flaws. The juxtaposition of vulnerability and strength are what make this character and this novel so appealing to young adult readers.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
* Winner of the 2004 Michael L. Printz Award
* Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award – 2004
* Booklist Starred Review – 2003
* School Library Journal Starred Review – 2003
* SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: “Brief, poetic, and absolutely riveting, this gem of a novel tells the story of a young father struggling to raise an infant. Bobby, 16, is a sensitive and intelligent narrator.”
* BOOKLIST REVIEW: “There's no romanticizing. Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again..”
* PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW: “Beginning his story when his daughter, Feather, is just 11 days old, 16-year-old Bobby tells his story in chapters that alternate between the present and the bittersweet past that has brought him to the point of single parenthood. Each nuanced chapter feels like a poem in its economy and imagery.”

CONNECTIONS
* Have students select two time periods in their life and tell about a significant event from the same “now” and “then” perspective presented in the book.
* Incorporate this book into a Health or Life Skills lesson related to teen pregnancy and the realities of the situation.
* Bobby “tags” a brick wall with a mural of his life from a young boy to a teenager. Using long strips of butcher paper, allow students to tell their life story by painting a mural of sorts on the paper.
* Other Young Adult Books Dealing with Teenage Pregnancy & Parenthood:
1) Euwer Wolff, Virginia. MAKE LEMONADE. ISBN 0805080708
2) Bechard, Margaret. HANGING ON TO MAX. ISBN 0689862687
3) Dessen, Sarah. SOMEONE LIKE YOU. ISBN 0142401773
4) Frost, Helen. KEESHA’S HOUSE. ISBN 0374340641
5) Zeises, Lara. CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE. ISBN 0385730470