The First Part Last - Novel Review - TWU LS5623-20 - SU2012

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. New York, Simon Pulse, 2003. Print. ISBN 978-0-689-84922-0, 132p. Feather was never supposed to be in his life, Nia was. For sixteen year-old Bobby, replacing the love of his life with the child they created together has given him a life he never expected to have. Told from the perspective of both the past and the present, readers journey with Bobby as he learns to be the man he can be, a diamond in the rough polished to shining through a horrible tragedy. Angela Johnson’s Michael L. Printz winning novel draws readers deftly into the life of new teenage father Bobby as he grows to cherish his baby daughter, Feather. Told in beautifully accessible language with a limited but gripping cast of characters the realness of the story shines through as a hook to readers of all ages. Neither too graphic nor too bland the story is perfect for young adults as it handles mature situations in a manner that is both honest and considers the issue from a teenage perspective. “Some kids my age are hanging around this arcade I’ve been wanting to check out, but haven’t had the time, and probably won’t ever have. They lean against the games and each other. I look at them and feel like I’m missing something” (pg. 111). By far the most exceptional element of this wonderful read is the deft way that Johnson makes readers fall in love with her protagonist, Bobby. Though he made a mistake in his past, it was truly a mistake, and one we watched him struggle with. We saw the loving but disjointed relationship of his divorced parentsd as they struggled to come to grips with the pregnancy of Bobby’s girlfriend. We see Bobby through his friends eyes, young men who love him and are still with him no matter what. Bobby makes the book and his love for Feather, his cherubic daughter, and Nia, the girl he will never hold again, keeps us clinging to the last page. In struggling to find a negative element to this novel to give perspective The only issue that came to mind was that the literary element whereby the author shifts back and forth in subsequent chapters from the present to the past might cause some issues for younger or less able readers. Comprehension and story sequence must be built over time as the components of the story from two different time periods unfold. This could cause issues for some readers. It also, though, creates a great opportunity to assist young adult readers in connecting story elements in their mind and in attempting to predict story outcomes. Overall, a fantastic read and highly recommended for most YA readers! Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. New York, Simon Pulse, 2003. Print.