The First Part Last

1. Bibliography

Johnson, Angela. 2003. The First Part Last. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0689849222

2. Plot Summary

The First Part Last describes a teenage boy whose life changes, on his sixteenth birthday, when he finds out his girlfriend is pregnant. It shows all the feelings he goes through and how he becomes a father.

3. Critical Analysis

This book has strong believable characters. The teenage boy and his girlfriend behave consistently with their backgrounds and their ages. One example is in the beginning, "AND THIS IS how I turned sixteen…. Skipped school with my running buddies, K Boy and J.L., and went to Mineo’s for a couple of slices. Hit a matinee and threw as much popcorn at each other as we ate." (Johnson, 5) The main character, Bobby, develops and grows from the beginning of the story to the end, as he becomes a father. The story is told through his eyes and how he perceives things.
The plot is a very believable one, especially for today’s society and the number of teenage pregnancies. It tells a story that many teenagers will be able to relate to.
The setting takes place in Brooklyn, New York. It is an appropriate setting for this story. Johnson describes the surroundings to help the reader visualize the setting. The example above about how he spent his sixteenth birthday represents one example of her describing th kinds places they went to in the city.
The theme of becoming a teenage parent is worth introducing to young adults to help them see how difficult it is through the eyes of a male teenager. It emerges naturally and shows the challenges he faces.
The style is appropriate to the subject. It goes back and forth between what is happening now and what happened then. The book has strong language that gives insight to the characters feelings. For example, "It scared the hell out of me." (Johnson, 4) The point of view as told from Bobby is very appropriate to the purpose of letting other teenagers know just how it feels to become a teenage father to a baby girl.

4. Review Excerpt(s)

Publishers Weekly

A 16-year-old tells the story of how he became a single dad. In a starred review of this companion to Heaven, PW said, "The author skillfully relates the hope in the midst of pain." Ages 12-up. (Dec.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

"The rules: If she hollers, she is mine. If she needs to be changed, she is always mine. In the dictionary next to 'sitter,' there is not a picture of Grandma. It's time to grow up. Too late, you're out of time. Be a grown-up." Sixteen-year-old Bobby has met the love of his life: his daughter. Told in alternating chapters that take place "then" and "now," Bobby relates the hour-by-hour tribulations and joys of caring for a newborn, and the circumstances that got him there. Managing to cope with support, but little help, from his single mother (who wants to make sure he does this on his own), Bobby struggles to maintain friendships and a school career while giving his daughter the love and care she craves from him at every moment. By narrating from a realistic first-person voice, Johnson manages to convey a story that is always complex, never preachy. The somewhat pat ending doesn't diminish the impact of this short, involving story. It's the tale of one young man and his choices, which many young readers will appreciate and enjoy. (Fiction. YA)

5. Connections

· Encourage students to discuss what it would be like to have and raise a baby as a teenager.
· Invite students to discuss why they think the author chose the title.
· Students can have a discussion about the importance of family and relationships.