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First Part Last, The

Publication Information

Author: Johnson, Angela

Illustrator:

Title: First Part Last, The

Date: 2003

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

City: New York

ISBN, paperback: 0-689-84922-2

ISBN, hardback:

Recommended audience:

ABE/ABLE: Yes

ESOL:

Family: Yes

Young Adult: Yes

Picture:

General Information:

Book Type(s): fiction

HSE Descriptor(s):

Summary:

[revised from dust jacket] Bobby is a classic urban teenaged boy-- impulsive, eager, restless. On his 16th birthday, he learns that his girlfriend Nia is pregnant. Their lives change dramatically, both during the pregnancy and after baby Feather is born. This touching, engaging, and award-winning book explores the male side of teenaged pregnancy.

Teaching Ideas:

Baby and Make Lemonade come to mind as a good additions to a text set about how babies change lives. Teachers will probably want to address the 'then' and 'now' organization of the text. Students could keep a timeline, make notes about Bobby's changes, or explore the roles of adults in Bobby's and Nia's lives. Students in family literacy programs will find much to discuss about parents, responsibility, and unconditional love. Thelanguage, although simple, is beautiful. Students might want to capture Bobby's observations about the baby and analyze them as a stylistic device. Johnson's ability to 'show not tell' is remarkable.

Teaching Strategies: