Friday, September 11, 2009

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson


Before the birth of his daughter, sixteen-year-old Bobby enjoyed getting into a little trouble, loved his girlfriend, and had parents who took care of him. After Feather is born, Bobby must become the parent and take care of her by himself. He struggles with his new role, tries to maintain his friendships from before his daughter’s birth, and can’t understand why his mom is being so tough on him. He decides to rebel one day, and gets caught. He realizes that his actions and the consequences no longer affect just him.

The topic of teenage parenthood can be controversial and it is excellently handled in this book. It’s not an easy topic or plot, and Johnson makes no excuses for not being easy. As a reader, you just have to accept that Bobby's life is harder for him now that he is a parent. I think the strongest element of the book is the internal monologue from Bobby. He is so brutally honest with the reader and himself and I was able to believe Bobby; that’s what makes this book special. The dialogue between Bobby and his friends feels forced and fake in comparison.

I really enjoyed this book a lot, with the exception of the dialogue. I would recommend this book in a heartbeat.

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