Printz Award: The First Part Last

Picture from Amazon.com

Bibliography

Johnson, A. (2010). The First Part Last. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0689849230.

Summary

16-year-old Bobby is your typical teen in many ways. He enjoys cruising his eclectic New York neighborhood, grabbing a slice at Mineo’s, his favorite hangout, with his two musketeers, K-Boy and J.L., and spending time with his girlfriend, Nia. He finds school mildly annoying and sometimes bristles at his parents’ strictness. But the demands of teen fatherhood and the changes they inspire make his life anything but typical. Bobby is enamored with his baby daughter, Feather, and marvels at how all-consuming the love and the bond they share are. However, sleep deprivation, high school, child care, social workers, pregnancy complications, and two sets of parents who are adamant about him “doing it on his own” prove to be overwhelming at times for Bobby, who is still a baby himself.

Critical Analysis

Adulthood versus childhood is the dominant theme of The First Part Last. The struggles of toggling between these opposing poles are echoed in the title, as well as Bobby’s rumination, “But I figure if the world were really right, humans would live life backward and do the first part last. They’d be all knowing in the beginning and innocent in the end” (Johnson, p. 4). His opening musings demonstrate that he feels unequipped for the rigors of fatherhood. Life takes him on a brutal crash course, ripping through innocence and dragging im hastily behind at 100 miles per hour before he has had so much as a driver’s education class. We see Bobby’s wistfulness for carefree times when he bemoans countless hours of lost sleep, to the point where he is falling asleep anywhere he sits (or is so wired up that sleep evades him) and nearly drowns in a pool of saliva at his desk. His route to school is tedious because of stops to the babysitter across town. Even the way he spends his 16th birthday is a juxtaposition of boyhood and manhood – what begins as a normal day of shooting the breeze with his boys is shattered by the revelation that he is going to be a father (the balloon his girlfriend gives him can be seen as symbolic of casting off playthings and fleeting dreams).

All this considered, Bobby’s maturity is beyond admirable. He is rarely seen without Feather. He is beside himself with worry when she gets sick, and sits up with her into the wee hours when she wants to play. Even in his interactions with girlfriend Nia, he is tender and attentive, accompanying her to prenatal and social work appointments, satisfying her prego cravings. His unwavering resolution to raise Feather when he knows that he will be essentially a single dad is the ultimate declaration of manhood. This is a coming of age story, and you do not have to have to be a young parent to feel the pressures of growing up and shifting identity, the frustration of wanting to make your own decisions and explore the world, but run back to the safety of your parents when it is too complicated

Teen pregnancy is another theme that millions of young adults have experience with, be it firsthand or through association. Bobby expresses his fear of the unknown, the trapped feelings of having to leave a monumental decision in his girlfriend’s hands out of respect to her right to choose. He recounts Nia’s pregnancy woes that are especially difficult because of their age. More than anything, he rues the fact that he knew better, that even after all of the prophylactics, peer, and parent talks, his carelessness cost him his childhood. Young people need to hear this story. It is not didactic, nor does it glamorize teen parenthood (unlike “16 and Pregnant”). In these years of faux invincibility and decision making that is impaired by hormones, they need to know that it can and does happen to anybody. They also need to know that, though difficult, they can survive it and become responsible, nurturing parents who retain their sense of self.

Love, both romantic and familial, is another topic that will undoubtedly capture a young adult audience. I was so happy that Bobby and Nia had an actual relationship and not a one-time encounter clouded by drugs/alcohol. The focus is not on sex, as he seems to genuinely dig her. Teenagers develop such intense feelings (moment of silence for my 7th grade boyfriend who I just KNEW I would marry), and First validates those feelings, gives them credence as significant and special. Bobby’s love for his girlfriend is evident in the way he supports her throughout the pregnancy. Rather than being frightened or repulsed by her pregnancy, he is enamored with her changing body and the life growing inside her; he falls more in love with her through their new bond. Instead of fawning over her sensually, he admires the simple things, like her curly hair and cool, spunky demeanor. Johnson beautifully unfurls the love between parent and child. Even more than Nia, Feather holds Bobby’s heart. He watches her sleep and marvels over her curls, her scent, her baby breath and toothless grins. He does not let her out of his sight unless it is necessary, and never for long. All of his plans revolve around his daughter, and he absolutely relishes in how much she looks to him. They are a proverbial package. No matter how fatigued or frustrated he gets with his circumstances, he is adamant about keeping Feather and never regrets or resents her.

The characters of First are simple, but layered. I adore Bobby, as I suspect many young people will. He is wise beyond his years, affable, funny, honorable, and down to earth. He has his momentary lapses of judgment and occasionally clowns around, but the reader gets a sense that having a child has really tempered him in comparison to his friends, K-Boy and J.L. (who are also pretty respectable kids). Johnson balances his maturity with commonplace teen fare – chilling out, eating pizza, cutting class. His parents are seemingly well-educated and own successful photography and restaurant businesses. It is imperative that kids of color see portrayals of middle-class, educated Black families rather than the “ghetto” stereotype; teen pregnancy can happen to anyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or race. Bobby and Nia have involved fathers, which is a good indicator of Bobby’s relationship with his daughter. It encourages boys in his predicament to step up. My only qualm with his character is that we do not see him come to terms with Nia’s absence and his loneliness – he is in denial. Also, I would have liked to see him experience the full magnitude of teen parenthood – looking for a job and struggling to provide, losing friends, etc. The parents have a more tertiary role, but they are developed enough to relay that Bobby comes from good stock. While I understand her tough stance about not mothering Feather for him, Bobby’s mom, Mary, seems very coarse and detached. She even belittles her ex-husband for showing too much emotion. Daddy Fred, with his gentle advice and openness, is much more likeable than the other parental figures. Nia’s folks are written as sterile and constipated from the beginning, and they flat out abandon Bobby and Feather.

The style of the book is very lyrical and informal, which will resonate with young readers. Bobby draws heavily on past events to tell his story, alternating between chapters titled “Now” and “Then.” The uncomplicated language makes it a quick read. Simplicity of diction ensures that words do not detract from the poignant subject matter. The fact that the story is told from the perspective of an active single dad shows not all men are deadbeats, a much needed positive image that can shape impressionable readers positively. Nia has a chapter from her perspective, but she is omniscient and distant, which makes it awkward. References like “Game Boy” and “Walkman” make the text somewhat dated. To say that the main character is a Black boy growing up in New York, there are hardly any colloquialisms – Bobby and friends may come off as square to today’s teen. 

Awards

• 2004 Michael L. Printz Award 
• 2004 Coretta Scott King Award 

Reviews

Publisher’s Weekly. (6 June 2003). Rev. of The First Part Last by Angela Johnson. Web. Accessed 16 June 2015. http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-689-84922-0

Extension Activities

1. Safe Sexpert – Go to http://stayteen.org/quiz/. Customize avatars of yourself, crush, and best friend. Navigate the virtual scenarios and respond to each one honestly. Then, answer the questions to test your knowledge of teen sex and pregnancy statistics. 
2. What’s in a Name – Read about Feather’s birth and first encounter with Bobby on pg. 124. Explain the symbolism of her name. In what ways is she like a feather, according to Bobby? In your mind, how does the baby compare to a feather? 
3. A Letter to My Feather – Nia is unable to care her infant daughter, and we only hear her point of view very briefly near the end of the book. Channel her voice and write a letter/chapter dedicated to Baby Feather from Nia’s perspective. Possible points of discussion: the young mother’s love for her daughter, hopes and plans for her future, motherly advice, Nia’s thoughts/feelings about Bobby, etc. 
4. Grafitti My Heart – Bobby has a penchant for “street art.” Make a visual representation of Bobby’s life as a teen dad. It can be drawn, painted, or you can use magazine clippings and/or 3-D items to form a collage. 

Related Literature

• Johnson, A. (1998). Heaven. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-0689822292. – In this pre-quel to The First Part Last, we are first introduced to Bobby and find out more about his life with Feather after he moves to Ohio. The main character confronts identity issues and is forced to mature upon discovering a shocking family secret. 
• Bechard, M. (2003). Hanging on to Max. New York, NY: Simon Pulse. ISBN: 978-0689862687. – This is the story of a high school senior who takes on single parenthood when his girlfriend wants to give up their baby for adoption. 
• Blume, J. (2014). Forever. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-1481414425. – A young girl loses her virginity to her first boyfriend and is certain that theirs is a forever love, but finds herself confused when she is attracted to another guy and must question the parameters of “forever.” 
• Draper, S. (2007). November Blues. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-1416906988. – A teen’s grief over the loss of her boyfriend is compounded by an unexpected pregnancy.