Bibliography
Johnson, Angela. 2003. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689849222
Plot Summary
At just 16, Bobby finds himself as a single parent after his girlfriend Nia suffers brain damage after delivering their daughter Feather. Although they had plans of giving her up for adoption, Nia's postpartum condition spurs Bobby to refuse to sign the papers and raise the baby himself. His choice results in him struggling to care for his daughter while trying to keep up with school, maintain his friendships, and live up to his parents' expectations of being a responsible man.
Critical Analysis
Angela Johnson gives readers at taste of what teenage pregnancy and fatherhood is like from the male perspective. The exhaustion of caring for baby Feather can be felt by readers such as when Bobby takes Feather for a doctor's visit and wishes that the doctor would write him an excuse for getting out of the constant attention a baby needs: "It just had to get me out of staying awake all night, changing diapers every hour, and doing nothing except think of the yawning little thing in the white booties, whose baby carrier was all I wanted to be in." Scenes in which Bobby expresses his love for Feather and her mother are beautifully worded and his effort to do the right thing (be responsible and mature) is demonstrated by the choices he makes: "I thought about laying her in the middle of my bed and going off to find my old Game Boy, but I didn't. Things have to change. I've been thinking about it. Everything. And when Feather opens her eyes and looks up at me, I already know there's change." In the final chapter, readers will be begging for more about this young father and daughter duo as they start a new life in Heaven, Ohio, the town where Bobby's brother lives and a seemingly pefect place for raising a child. Brief, but poetic and riveting, this novel is a great read for highschool students as it will grab listeners immediately and make it an ideal subject for class discussion.
Review Exerpt(s)
BookList - "Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again."
Kirkus Reviews - "It's the tale of one young man and his choices, which many young readers will appreciate and enjoy."
Connections
*This novel would make a great topic for discussion for highschool students regarding teen pregnancy.
*Other novels about teenage pregnancy:
Cole, Sheila. WHAT KIND OF LOVE?: THE DIARY OF A PREGNANT TEENAGER. ISBN 0380725754
Wild, Margaret. ONE NIGHT. ISBN 0553494341
Bechard, Margaret. HANGING ON TO MAX. ISBN 0689862687
No comments:
Post a Comment