The First Part Last

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Johnson, Angela. 2002. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York, New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-689-84923-0.

2. SUMMARY
Sixteen year old Bobby lives in New York City with his mom. His best friends have been a part of his life since prekindergarten and it is obvious that his feelings for his girlfriend Nia are deep. All of Bobby’s plans for the future change when Nia announces her pregnancy. Bobby is forced to confront the consequences of his actions and completely change his life after the birth of his daughter, Feather. Although his parents are supportive, his mother refuses to shoulder any of the responsibility for Feather’s care and Bobby experiences exhaustion in his new role as father. He rarely has any extra time to spend with his friends or even finish homework. As the book ends we learn the shocking fact that irreversible brain damage is the reason Nia has been absent during Feather’s care and that Bobby will make a choice that will change his life and Feather’s life forever.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This poetic piece of contemporary realistic fiction will engage young readers with its fresh perspective on teen parenthood. Told in Bobby’s words with Bobby’s thoughts, the reader will be able to hear the sounds of the city and taste the pizza from Mineo’s because Johnson create a New York that is alive and real, so real that even readers who have never visited New York will be able to imagine the setting. Bobby’s story is very authentic and Johnson never glosses over the harsh realities of fatherhood-changing dirty diapers, calming a screaming baby and finding day care are just a few of the challenges Bobby must face. Johnson does not condescend as she describes Nia’s condition and readers are left feeling shocked and bewildered when they learn of her coma. Confronting responsibility and growing up are the universal themes present in this poetic, sparse text. A triumph for Johnson and readers everywhere.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Coretta Scott King Award (2004)
Michael L. Printz Award (2004)
Starred review in Booklist-Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again.
Horn Book Guide-What resonate in this prequel to the Coretta Scott King Award winning HEAVEN are the sacrifices Bobby makes for Feather's sake.
Starred Review in 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. Bobby, 16, is a sensitive and intelligent narrator.

5. CONNECTION
The subject of teen pregnancy and adult responsibility are two themes of this poignant novel.
Johnson, Angela. HEAVEN. ISBN 0689822901.
Myers, Walter Dean. SCORPIONS. ISBN 0064406237.