Author: Angela Johnson
Jacket Photographer: John Healy
(1) "The First Part Last" is an emotional story about a boy named Bobby growing up in New York City. On his sixteenth birthday, Bobby finds out that his girlfriend Nia is pregnant. The story flashes between the present and the past. At first the reader is only aware that Nia is absent from Bobby and the baby, Feather's, life. The reader sees the hardships that Bobby faces being a single father at such a young age. In the end, we discover that Nia has not left Bobby and Feather, but sadly is in a irreversible, persistent vegetative state. Even though I felt so sad to read that Nia would likely not ever be able to contribute to her child's life, it pleased met to think that Bobby took responsibility for Feather and decided to raise her on his own.
(2) I think this book could serve as a motivator for other teens and young adults who find themselves in similar situations as the one Bobby was in. Although Bobby did not always make good choices, he ended up doing what was best for his child. This is something I think most people can relate to, because regardless of what you do in your life, most people want their children to lead better lives than their own. Likely, my positive reaction to this book stems from the fact that I like to maintain an inkling of hope in all situations, no matter how hopeless they seem.
(3) This story is evidence that love can join a family together. Love for your child will make you do things you never thought you were capable of. I especially liked that Bobby moved to Ohio near his brother to raise his child in an environment that would be much healthier for the baby. This was yet another example of how parents try and make their children's lives better than their own.
Image courtesy of http://images.google.com.
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