Author: Angela Johnson
Publisher: Simon Pulse, 144 pages
Copyright: 2003
School Library Journal Review:
Gr 7 Up-Angela Johnson's Printz Award-winning novel (S & S, 2003) is perfectly suited to the audiobook medium, and Khalipa Oldjohn narrates this first person tale with poignant authenticity of tone and pacing. At 16, Bobby struggles to be a father to his newborn daughter while keeping up with school, maintaining his boyhood friendships, and trying to live up to his parents' expectations. Told in alternating passages of "Now" and "Then," the back-story that has brought Bobby to this point falls steadily but deliberately into place, with the revelation of why Bobby is a single father arriving only near the very end. In spite of its brevity, the story is complex and satisfying. Bobby is both boy and man, responsible and overwhelmed, near panic and able to plan an intelligent and loving future for Feather, the daughter he adores and nurtures. In audio format, this story can readily be shared in just a class period or two and will grab listeners immediately, making it an ideal subject for class discussion. It will also be instantly popular for leisure reading outside of school.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Review:
The First Part Last offers a glimpse inside the world of a young father, who is hurled into manhood with the birth of his daughter, Feather, and the tragedy that befalls his girlfriend and the mother of his daughter, Nia. Bobby is an adolescent boy whose girlfriend has a baby and has to quickly learn how to grow up and be a dad. He struggles to balance out time with his daughter, Feather, and his friends, and school. From the minute Feather arrives everything changes. Soon, he isn't able to hang out with K-Boy and J.L and his grades began to slip. Bobby is no longer a boy, but a man ready to face the world. No expert at the task of raising a child, at first he is confused, restless, and fearful, but he gradually grows into his new role as a father.
Readers will see Bobby struggle with the wonders, excitement, responsibility, and the fear of being a father. The narrative switches back and forth between the present and the past as Bobby shares his experience raising his daughter and gives glimpses into his life before Feather arrives in the world. When Bobby runs out to play basketball with his friends, momentarily forgetting that he has a child to care for, we are reminded he is still a child himself, still a young man, and not entirely grown up. At the same time, we see Bobby learning to give up many of his old pastimes, including being a kid himself, in order to raise his daughter. Both sides of Bobby – Bobby the father and Bobby the teen – form who he is and who he becomes in the novel.
The book handles the pregnancy, as well as Bobby's relationships with his girlfriend, baby and parents in a way that is both touching and totally unvarnished. The obvious absence of Feather's mother throughout most of the book creates a point of tension that is resolved in the book's heartbreaking, but beautiful conclusion. Older readers will appreciate this book for its honest treatment of teen pregnancy, the complex portrayal of the characters, as well as the unique style of the narrative.
Honest and emotionally gripping, The First Part Last is a novel that I suggest for all readers, especially young parents who may sometimes feel as if their world is dramatically altered by having children at such a young age. It is also a great book for reluctant readers and hi/lo readers because of its short length and lower reading level. The audiobook is also very well done and highly recommended.
Reading Level: Beginner
Notes about Audience: Recommended for readers ages 13 and up
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