Book Review - The First Part Last



1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Johnson, Angela. (2010). THE FIRST PART LAST. Simon & Schuster BFYR. ISBN:
978-1442403437

2. PLOT SUMMARY

At the age of 16, Bobby has a kid with his longtime girlfriend, Nia. Bobby now has to
adjust to his new life of taking care of a baby and not having Nia by his side. As any
teenager, he makes some right decisions and some wrong and struggles with his mother
frequently regarding his new responsibilities. In the end, he moves to a new town with
his father in hopes of being able to start over and be the best father he can to his child.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this story, the author depicts the real struggles of being a new father, specifically a
new teenage father. The content of the story is relevant and relatable to teens now and
portrays a boy trying to do his best for his daughter. Focusing on what’s important,
redirecting priorities, and accepting responsibility are themes shown throughout the book
and can be relatable to all readers. Incorporating the loss of the mother and the lack of
family help can be similar to a reader’s current situation, making the daughter a relatable
character as well. Having the main character be a black male teen single father creates
representation and provides insight into a tough situation.

Told in a “now” and “then” or past and present format, the story leads with a male point of
view on teen pregnancy, giving a different perspective.The style of writing is direct but
because of the shifting between present and flashback scenes, there’s some
unanswered questions and cliffhangers throughout the story. This creates an air of
mystery that helps keep the story intriguing all the way to the end.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

MICHAEL L. PRINTZ AWARD 2004
CORETTA SCOTT KING BOOK AWARDS 2004
BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW
KIRKUS REVIEW: “It’s the tale of one young man and his choices, which many young
readers will appreciate and enjoy.”

5. CONNECTIONS

*This book can help teens with teen pregnancy or provide some perspective to different
situations and make up of families.
*Students can discuss the impact of loss, the good and the bad, and how to cope with
trauma like that seen in the book.
*The Black male teen narration allows for talks about racial and gender roles.

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