the first part last
written by Angela Johnson
Bibliography
Johnson, A. (2003). the first part last.
Brief Summary
At sixteen, Bobby’s girlfriend Nia becomes pregnant with his child. At first, the two teens agree to give the child up for adoption due to the urging of the adults around them. However, after Nia succumbs to irreversible brain damage, Bobby decides to raise the newborn. He names her Feather. The responsibilities of fatherhood prove to be quite a challenge for Bobby, especially because not much distance separates him from his own childhood. Between school and other activities that usually occupy a 16 year old boys’ time, fatherhood proves to be too much. Bobby moves from his mother’s house to his father’s home where he receives more help. However, in an effort offer still a better life for his daughter Feather, Bobby moves to
My Impressions
I didn’t like reading this story as much as I’d expected. Perhaps it’s due to the subject matter. It’s difficult enough to be a teenager these days without the added responsibility of parenthood. I admire the fact that Bobby wished to raise his daughter despite the hardships he faced. The reality is that in doing so however, his daughter faced perhaps unnecessary hardships as well.
I do think that this type of storyline is a necessary one for teens to read. Unfortunately, parenthood can sometimes be glamorized. Don’t get me wrong, raising my two children was the most important, most rewarding career that I’ve undertaken. However, it was by far the most challenging one as well, even in my 30s!
Reviews
“…There's no romanticizing. The exhaustion is real, and Bobby gets in trouble with the police and nearly messes up everything. But from the first page, readers feel the physical reality of Bobby's new world: what it's like to hold Feather on his stomach, smell her skin, touch her clenched fists, feel her shiver, and kiss the top of her curly head. Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again. The great cover photo shows the strong African American teen holding his tiny baby in his arms…Gr. 6-12”
-- Booklist (September 1, 2003)
Hazel Rochman Copyright 2003 Booklist
“This Printz and Coretta Scott King Award winner has one of the best covers ever put to a teen book, depicting a beautiful and devoted father cradling a sleeping infant. It is almost a shame that the awards stickers cover so much of it…Why It Is for Us: If you read the book aloud, it sounds less like prose than pure poetry. Bobby is in love with his baby girl, and you feel it on every page. While he considers giving her up for adoption, he ultimately decides to parent her himself. ‘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.’ True words for any father, 16 or 36.”
-- Library Journal (March 23, 2009)
Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information
“In this lyrical novel, 16-year-old Bobby narrates his journey into teenage fatherhood, struggling to balance school, parenting, and friends who simply do not comprehend his new role and his breathtaking love for his daughter. Winner of the 2004 SRT Coretta Scott King Author Award and the 2004 YALSA Michael L. Printz Award for literary excellence…Gr 8 Up.”
-- School Library Journal (October 1, 2004)
Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information
Suggestions for Library Use
Life skills teachers should find this book a good reference for their courses. It might even be a good read for parents of teenagers as well. STEM and church libraries might find the book useful for pregnant teens and their significant others who are attempting to make the decision regarding adoption.
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