Johnson, A. (2003). The first part last. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Summary
This is the story of Bobby, a sixteen year-old father who is raising his infant daughter and trying to stay in high school. The story bounces between "then" and "now", before the baby and current time. It is a realistic book that describes his intense fatigue from being up with the baby all night, his mixed emotions with his friends; and his desperate attempts to do what he thinks is right for the baby without a lot of support. Bobby's mom allows him to live with her but does not help with the baby. He does consider giving the baby up for adoption but decides to keep her. Throughout the book, we only read about Nia, the baby's mother, in the "then" chapters. By the end of the book, we learn why she is not involved with the baby.
Worth Another Cup of Tea?
I found this book to be a real page-turner and a quick read. I hadn't read anything dealing with teenage pregnancy from the father's point of view and enjoyed this book. It is both tragic and heartwarming to read the story of this somewhat lost sixteen year-old who is desperately trying to raise his baby whom he adores. I found myself feeling sympathetic for him and at the same time, sad for all of the teenagers who have made choices and are now in this same position. I work in a high school with many teenage parents, and I see their struggles on a daily basis, but honestly, I usually see this from the mother's perspective, not the father's. It was very interesting reading this from Bobby's point of view. The situation with Nia had me guessing until the end when we learn about her fate.
Reviews
Coretta Scott King Award, 2004
Michael L. Printz Award, 2004
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. Bobby is a teen father left to raise his daughter, Feather, when her mother suffers from irreversible brain damage. He must navigate the responsibility of caring for an infant and all the anxiety that comes from hoping for a better future for her. 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, 2009
Gr 7 Up-Angela Johnson's Printz Award-winning novel (S & S, 2003) is perfectly suited to the audiobook medium, and Khalipa Oldjohn narrates this first person tale with poignant authenticity of tone and pacing. At 16, Bobby struggles to be a father to his newborn daughter while keeping up with school, maintaining his boyhood friendships, and trying to live up to his parents' expectations. Told in alternating passages of "Now" and "Then," the back-story that has brought Bobby to this point falls steadily but deliberately into place, with the revelation of why Bobby is a single father arriving only near the very end. In spite of its brevity, the story is complex and satisfying. Bobby is both boy and man, responsible and overwhelmed, near panic and able to plan an intelligent and loving future for Feather, the daughter he adores and nurtures. In audio format, this story can readily be shared in just a class period or two and will grab listeners immediately, making it an ideal subject for class discussion. It will also be instantly popular for leisure reading outside of school.--School Library Journal, February, 2005
In The Library
With parent permission, this would be an excellent selection for a boys reading group in late middle school or high school.
I would also recommend it to a school counselor doing a group for teenage fathers.
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