What do you think?
Rate this book
Heaven #2
The First Part Last
Bobby's a classic urban teenager. He's restless. He's impulsive. But the thing that makes him different is He's going to be a father. His girlfriend, Nia, is pregnant, and their lives are about to change forever. Instead of spending time with friends, they'll be spending time with doctors, and next, diapers. They have keeping the baby, adoption. They want to do the right thing. If only it was clear what the right thing was.
148 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2003
259 people are currently reading
8,185 people want to read
About the author
Angela Johnson
130books267followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the ŷ database with this name.
Angela Johnson is the author of the Coretta Scott King Honor picture book When I Am Old with You; as well as A Sweet Smell of Roses, illustrated by Eric Velasquez; Just Like Josh Gibson, illustrated by Beth Peck; and I Dream of Trains, which was also illustrated by Loren Long. She has won three Coretta Scott King Awards, one each for her novels Heaven, Toning the Sweep, and The First Part Last. In recognition of her outstanding talent, Angela was named a 2003 MacArthur Fellow. She lives in Kent, Ohio.
Angela Johnson is the author of the Coretta Scott King Honor picture book When I Am Old with You; as well as A Sweet Smell of Roses, illustrated by Eric Velasquez; Just Like Josh Gibson, illustrated by Beth Peck; and I Dream of Trains, which was also illustrated by Loren Long. She has won three Coretta Scott King Awards, one each for her novels Heaven, Toning the Sweep, and The First Part Last. In recognition of her outstanding talent, Angela was named a 2003 MacArthur Fellow. She lives in Kent, Ohio.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,766 reviews
Read
June 8, 2020Angie Thomas and Nic Stone recommended this book in a recent Instagram live, so of course I picked it up.
When I started this, I was naïve in thinking that such a short book would not have much of an impact. I'm happy to report that it totally did. (I teared up multiple times.)
Our main character, Bobby, is a teenage single father - a perspective I've never read from. There are no stereotypes or stigma placed on him. Instead, this is a tenderhearted look into his life before and after his daughter is born.
It's told non-chronologically (as you could probably decipher from the title), switching between before and after the birth. This allows us to see Bobby's internal battle of wanting to stay a carefree kid but also wanting to be there for his baby, whom he has come to fiercely love.
I love that this young father's relationship with his child was at the forefront, but we were still given snapshots of the rest of his life. This was a perfect example of showing the important aspects rather than telling.
I feel really satisfied after reading this book, which doesn't often happen. Recommend!
When I started this, I was naïve in thinking that such a short book would not have much of an impact. I'm happy to report that it totally did. (I teared up multiple times.)
Our main character, Bobby, is a teenage single father - a perspective I've never read from. There are no stereotypes or stigma placed on him. Instead, this is a tenderhearted look into his life before and after his daughter is born.
It's told non-chronologically (as you could probably decipher from the title), switching between before and after the birth. This allows us to see Bobby's internal battle of wanting to stay a carefree kid but also wanting to be there for his baby, whom he has come to fiercely love.
I love that this young father's relationship with his child was at the forefront, but we were still given snapshots of the rest of his life. This was a perfect example of showing the important aspects rather than telling.
I feel really satisfied after reading this book, which doesn't often happen. Recommend!
February 17, 2009
The First Part Last
This book is about a boy name Bobby and his girlfriend Nia. Bobby is about to be a father and dosen't know what to do. I would recommend this book to any teen mothers or teen fathers that are struggling through this world. My favorite character is Bobby because he stood up to take care of his daughter but even though he wasn't prepared to be a father, he stayed strong through it all. My leasrt favorite character was nobody because I could basically relate to everybody in the book. I think the author wrote this book or her intentions were to inform young teens out there about teen pregenacy and since it wasn't such a powerful book, her intentions were to teach kids a lesson and learn there mistakes in life. The portion of the book that capitivated my attention was when Nia found out that she was pregant. What kept me reading this book was because it was interesting and would help me out in life. I wasn't able to predict out the ending because I never figured Bobby would end up having to raise Feather on his own, staying with his father, and Nia having to live in a nursing home for the rest of her life. If this book was made into a movie, the actors I would choose would be for Bobby,Evan Ross, and for Nia would be Keke Palmer. The emotions I would have to say about me while reading this book would be split personailty because some of the things in the story I could relate to and some I couldn't. My favorite line from the story was "I can tell you how it is to feel as brand new as my daughter even though I dont know what comes next in this place called Heaven."
This book is about a boy name Bobby and his girlfriend Nia. Bobby is about to be a father and dosen't know what to do. I would recommend this book to any teen mothers or teen fathers that are struggling through this world. My favorite character is Bobby because he stood up to take care of his daughter but even though he wasn't prepared to be a father, he stayed strong through it all. My leasrt favorite character was nobody because I could basically relate to everybody in the book. I think the author wrote this book or her intentions were to inform young teens out there about teen pregenacy and since it wasn't such a powerful book, her intentions were to teach kids a lesson and learn there mistakes in life. The portion of the book that capitivated my attention was when Nia found out that she was pregant. What kept me reading this book was because it was interesting and would help me out in life. I wasn't able to predict out the ending because I never figured Bobby would end up having to raise Feather on his own, staying with his father, and Nia having to live in a nursing home for the rest of her life. If this book was made into a movie, the actors I would choose would be for Bobby,Evan Ross, and for Nia would be Keke Palmer. The emotions I would have to say about me while reading this book would be split personailty because some of the things in the story I could relate to and some I couldn't. My favorite line from the story was "I can tell you how it is to feel as brand new as my daughter even though I dont know what comes next in this place called Heaven."
February 16, 2010
There's a bit of Benjamin Button at the very start of this book: "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 all innocent in the end."
I think that's when I had decided that I would like this story. I listened to the book, and I'm sure that this made a big difference as well. There was something very sincere and very true about Khalipa Oldjohn's rendition of the story. He embodied the narrator and the story quite perfectly - with just the right pauses, just the right intonations, and a perfect empathy.
As for the storytelling itself - this short novel is somehow able to keep perfect balance between the tumult of a teen-aged father having to care for his newborn infant, named Feather, and the way things were, which begins with Bobby and Nia finding out that they are pregnant. That aspect of looking back feels a bit slower, feels a bit meditative, and yet there is no sentimentality - in the past or the present. There is a sense that despite Bobby's desperation and the ups and downs he feels, he will find a way to make things work. His and Feather's "happy endings" have to do with being together and living from one day to the next, making things work in an imperfect world. Some part of me wished that certain aspects of the story could have been fleshed out a little more - Bobby's relationship with teachers at school, or that of his friends or family. However, the brevity of this novel does focus your attention on Bobby's story, and the sharply new path his life has taken with Feather.
I think that's when I had decided that I would like this story. I listened to the book, and I'm sure that this made a big difference as well. There was something very sincere and very true about Khalipa Oldjohn's rendition of the story. He embodied the narrator and the story quite perfectly - with just the right pauses, just the right intonations, and a perfect empathy.
As for the storytelling itself - this short novel is somehow able to keep perfect balance between the tumult of a teen-aged father having to care for his newborn infant, named Feather, and the way things were, which begins with Bobby and Nia finding out that they are pregnant. That aspect of looking back feels a bit slower, feels a bit meditative, and yet there is no sentimentality - in the past or the present. There is a sense that despite Bobby's desperation and the ups and downs he feels, he will find a way to make things work. His and Feather's "happy endings" have to do with being together and living from one day to the next, making things work in an imperfect world. Some part of me wished that certain aspects of the story could have been fleshed out a little more - Bobby's relationship with teachers at school, or that of his friends or family. However, the brevity of this novel does focus your attention on Bobby's story, and the sharply new path his life has taken with Feather.
October 18, 2009
I picked up this book because one of my students had talked about wanting to read it. It was also on many of the literature award posters I have in my classroom, so I knew that it came highly rated. The book comes from the perspective of a teen father raising his newborn daughter on his own. The plot is delievered in flashbacks, which are labled as "then" and "now", and this style really drives the intensity of the situation and the decisions that help shape whether or not Bobby and his girlfriend are going to keep their baby. I think this book is an important read because it takes on an angle that isn't seen in most teen books. The inner anguish that Bobby deals with, and the language Johnson uses to describe this with really makes this book worthy of the attention it has received.
December 22, 2007
The First Part Last by Angela Johnson, is a great book about a boy named Bobby. He and his girlfriend Nia are having a baby and they’re only 16 years old. They are confused about what to do with the baby. They don’t know whether to keep the baby or put it up for adoption. In the story bobby is the one keeping Feather, their baby girl. This fiction tale goes back and forth between Bobby’s present and his past. So there sort of telling the story in a different way. The mood or theme of this book is sort of not really sad but something in-between sad, happy, and. Well lets just say that it could be a emotional book for some people. The setting takes place in New York City and e the main characters are Bobby, Nia, Feather, K-boy, and J.L.
The overall purpose or authors purpose in writing this book is to inform teenagers on what can happen if they do not use protection or things like that. Lately many teens are getting pregnant and don’t realize how having a kid can hurt you. Besides being in school how are you going to take care of the baby during the day? If you drop out of school how will you get a job. What about the rest of your teenage life will be messed up because of a baby. This book shows what Bobby did and how you could handle something like that. This book is really powerful in informing teens about this kind of stuff. Explaining, sort of, what your life will be like after having a baby or something. This book isn’t really like anything I’ve read before and I really liked it. Many teenagers, female and male, should read this book. The strengths of this book is that it’s very informative about what going on in the book and similar things like that. The weakness is that it goes back and forth from now and then so much that it can be a little confusing at times for me but other than that the book was great. I am definitely going to read another book by this author in the near future.
The overall purpose or authors purpose in writing this book is to inform teenagers on what can happen if they do not use protection or things like that. Lately many teens are getting pregnant and don’t realize how having a kid can hurt you. Besides being in school how are you going to take care of the baby during the day? If you drop out of school how will you get a job. What about the rest of your teenage life will be messed up because of a baby. This book shows what Bobby did and how you could handle something like that. This book is really powerful in informing teens about this kind of stuff. Explaining, sort of, what your life will be like after having a baby or something. This book isn’t really like anything I’ve read before and I really liked it. Many teenagers, female and male, should read this book. The strengths of this book is that it’s very informative about what going on in the book and similar things like that. The weakness is that it goes back and forth from now and then so much that it can be a little confusing at times for me but other than that the book was great. I am definitely going to read another book by this author in the near future.
September 15, 2008
I ABSOLUTLEY LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!! This book is great it took me all of 24 hours to read it, and it kept me hanging of the edge of my seat every time i picked it up to read. Angela johnson did a great job mixing a love story with a problem that two teenagers had to face in their lives,(A BABY)!!!!!! This book has such a great story line because it's something that really happens in everyday life. It teaches you that when you make a mistake most of the time there is going to be consequences. READ IT, READ IT, READ IT. . ITS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE EVER READ.
July 24, 2013
This book is NOT about how having a baby before graduating high school can ruin your life. For many kids living in this country today, however, having a baby that early can be a severe detriment to accomplishing one's goals and I certainly want my own kids to be married and have stable jobs before they even think of having kids. That being said, I think our society does liken early parenthood to a kiss of death so to speak and children are told horror stories of irresponsible teens that couldn't control their carnal urges in some attempt to stop them altogether from having sex. Johnson doesn't completely break from this paradigm (Feather's crying does keep Bobby up many nights which in turn affects his mood and schoolwork), but she does offer us an alternative to the life-ending view of early parenthood. She focuses on some truly beautiful moments of parent-child bonding and the benefits of a supportive family in unexpected child-rearing, and she pulls it off in a brief and engaging narrative. Again I'm not promoting high school kids getting pregnant, but at the same time there is something that bothers me about society's complete condemnation of birthing children at an early age.
June 16, 2021
Such a well written short book. Seeing a young boy becoming a father all while dealing with traumatic issues touched my heart and pulled at my heart strings. In some alternate reality out there, this would've been my reality, and I relate to it to so much.
April 9, 2015
The First Part last was a very touching book that I never imagined ever reading. Seeing the perspective of a young boy becoming a father dealing with horrific and traumatic issues I never thought a young father would experienced touched my heart. As I started reading the book I could not keep up with the way the book was laid out like going from now to then, back and fourth. I got confused in some parts of the book but I was able to see the connection of why they put it like that way in the book. I was a little sad that the mother Nia only spoke once in the book, I was hoping to see from her perspective but I guess the reason behind her not being so involved in the story was due to the issues that happened in the end. Seeing the side of the male figure in a young pregnancy and young parenthood was a nice new fresh way of seeing something different. I always see the side of girls getting pregnant at a young age and dealing with the consequences later. But seeing the father and looking at the experiences and challenges he went through was something I did not expect to see or even tell through him. Throughout the book when he would mention nia loved this or nia always did that, I questioned myself and took notes on why kept reminiscing on what his girlfriend did or loved. It felt like it was foreshadowing to her passing away but in the end to him it was like her dying or losing her for good. I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever had a friend or family member deal with young pregnancy and parenthood. I was moved emotionally and mentally from this book by giving me a new perspective to look at.
February 5, 2017
The First Part Last was a pretty short and simple book about a teenage boy trying to raise his newborn daughter. It had quite a bit of self-reflection and purple prose, but it was still mildly interesting.
The story alternates between the past, when the main character Bobby finds out that his girlfriend Nia is pregnant; and the present, where Bobby is attempting to raise Feather, his daughter, with some help from his family. I noticed a couple of punctuation/grammatical errors through the book, but they didn't really impede my ability to understand what was going on. Though, they were a little distracting.
Honestly, most of the book was Bobby thinking about how tired he was, and wishing people would let him be some, and learning how to be a better parent-- there's really nothing more to it. Unfortunately, I couldn't really connect to the characters, but it was interesting reading about the usual teen pregnancy story from the father's perspective.
I'm not sure I would have remotely enjoyed this book if I hadn't been so tired and utterly bored when I read it, but it was okay. Not great, but not bad, either.
This review (and others) can be found on .
The story alternates between the past, when the main character Bobby finds out that his girlfriend Nia is pregnant; and the present, where Bobby is attempting to raise Feather, his daughter, with some help from his family. I noticed a couple of punctuation/grammatical errors through the book, but they didn't really impede my ability to understand what was going on. Though, they were a little distracting.
Honestly, most of the book was Bobby thinking about how tired he was, and wishing people would let him be some, and learning how to be a better parent-- there's really nothing more to it. Unfortunately, I couldn't really connect to the characters, but it was interesting reading about the usual teen pregnancy story from the father's perspective.
I'm not sure I would have remotely enjoyed this book if I hadn't been so tired and utterly bored when I read it, but it was okay. Not great, but not bad, either.
This review (and others) can be found on .
October 29, 2008
The First Part Last is a very inspiring and thoughtful story. It's about a teenage boy named Bobby who gets a girl named Nia pregnant. He struggles between giving his baby up for adoption or keeping it. When Nia goes into a coma during her labor, he decides to keep it to have a part of her with him. But he still remains stressed.
I think that this story teaches kids that it isn't as easy as some may think to raise a child when you're young. Bobby still had to go to school and try to make money. This is a problem that many teens and young adults struggle with now a days. It's a reality for many, but some can just imagine.
I also think that this story would be a good story for anyone who has lost a loved one. It's inspiring to see that Bobby still tries hard to take care of his daughter and to make a life for himself even though he misses Nia. I think that no matter how hurt you are by something, if you have another person in your life to take care of, you should try and put that behind you for the time being. Especially if it's an infant. They have more needs. I think Bobby will be a good parent in the long run. It just takes time.
I think that this story teaches kids that it isn't as easy as some may think to raise a child when you're young. Bobby still had to go to school and try to make money. This is a problem that many teens and young adults struggle with now a days. It's a reality for many, but some can just imagine.
I also think that this story would be a good story for anyone who has lost a loved one. It's inspiring to see that Bobby still tries hard to take care of his daughter and to make a life for himself even though he misses Nia. I think that no matter how hurt you are by something, if you have another person in your life to take care of, you should try and put that behind you for the time being. Especially if it's an infant. They have more needs. I think Bobby will be a good parent in the long run. It just takes time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2012
Umm...
I read this book at work today, so it's obviously a quick read. I was definitely underwhelmed. It's a Printz award winner, but that must be for the concept because I didn't find the actual story or writing to be very compelling.
The novel is told from the point of view of a teen dad, but it's completely superficial and I found no real depth to it. Bobby, the father, is doing the responsible thing by "raising" his infant daughter after his girlfriend goes into a permanent vegetative coma during labor--but this book lacks insight that I think it would have had if it were told by a female narrator. Essentially, all the reader sees is him hold the baby and change diapers. The story barely touches the surface as to how his life has changed after becoming a father other than to comment several times that he is tired or looks tired.
Meh.
I DO think that female tweens and teens would like this book, but not so sure that a male reader would be all that interested. Definitely high interested low level. I'd recommend accordingly.
I read this book at work today, so it's obviously a quick read. I was definitely underwhelmed. It's a Printz award winner, but that must be for the concept because I didn't find the actual story or writing to be very compelling.
The novel is told from the point of view of a teen dad, but it's completely superficial and I found no real depth to it. Bobby, the father, is doing the responsible thing by "raising" his infant daughter after his girlfriend goes into a permanent vegetative coma during labor--but this book lacks insight that I think it would have had if it were told by a female narrator. Essentially, all the reader sees is him hold the baby and change diapers. The story barely touches the surface as to how his life has changed after becoming a father other than to comment several times that he is tired or looks tired.
Meh.
I DO think that female tweens and teens would like this book, but not so sure that a male reader would be all that interested. Definitely high interested low level. I'd recommend accordingly.
July 15, 2016
A quick, cute read. The reader wonders why Bobby, at age 16, has chosen to raise his newborn daughter on his own. The answer is revealed through a series of happenings that switch from present day to past, and that answer is quite heartwarming. It is perhaps unrealistic, but Bobby is certainly a likable character, and a specific demographic would likely enjoy this book because it is so simplistic. At only 132 pages, it will not intimidate reluctant readers.
July 1, 2013
It was fine, I guess. I appreciated hearing the same teen pregnancy story we've all heard a dozen times from the perspective of the male, for once.
April 15, 2022
I love this book. I love how it makes me think. This is one book I don't want to forget. I hope to reread this one many times to come.
I've read a couple teen pregnancy books but none of them have been in the point of the boy. I am so glad this one was in the point of view of the guy.
Don't think that this is one of those books that you read and then forget about.
I've read a couple teen pregnancy books but none of them have been in the point of the boy. I am so glad this one was in the point of view of the guy.
Don't think that this is one of those books that you read and then forget about.
December 5, 2024
If there was a 3.5 I would give it to this book. It was pretty solid but nothing phenomenal. The emotions were pretty good and I felt bad about the situation the character was in but I just didn’t get invested in the book
March 1, 2024
This book destroyed me. In the best way.
February 13, 2024
So good! I would have given it 6 Stars, if I could.
Rachel The Librarian recommended this book to me.
Now, I must read more books by this author.
Everyone needs a friend like Rachel The Librarian!
Rachel The Librarian recommended this book to me.
Now, I must read more books by this author.
Everyone needs a friend like Rachel The Librarian!
June 27, 2018
Urban fiction is not usually my bag, but I was emotionally invested in this the entire time I listened (which was only about 2 hours, as it's a super short story). It's a bit different from the standard teen pregnancy storyline, in that it's told from the father's point of view. Still, absolutely worth reading for anyone who wants a short, emotional narrative (but be warned, the last 10 minutes are brutal, so prepare to pull over on your way to work and cry about it for a while).
November 20, 2008
Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 131 pages, urban fiction chapter book, Printz Award and Coretta Scott King Award winner.
Description: A teenaged boy named Bobby comes to terms with the fact that he is now a father. His girlfriend and the mother of his child is in a vegetative state, leaving him to raise their daughter alone.
Review: The First Part Last offers a glimpse inside the world of a young father, who is hurled into manhood with the birth of his daughter, Feather. The book handles the pregnancy, as well as Bobby's relationships with his girlfriend, baby and parents in a way that is both touching and totally unvarnished. The obvious absence of Feather's mother throughout most of the book creates a point of tension that is resolved in the book's heartbreaking, but beautiful conclusion. Older readers will appreciate this book for its honest treatment of teen pregnancy, the complex portrayal of the characters, as well as the unique style of the narrative.
The First Part Last is told in a scattered, stream of conscious fashion, moving forward and backward through time and place. Some readers may have difficulty following this fractured chronology. Many more readers, though, will appreciate how closely this style mimics the way that real thoughts unfold.
Professional Reviews:
School Library Journal, October 2005.
This review praises the complex structure of the story and observes that the book would make a good centerpiece for class discussions. I agree that this book could be used as a point of departure for discussing both social issues and literature.
Jemtegaard, Kristi Elle. Horn Book Magazine, March/April, 2005.
This review also focuses on the complex structure of the narrative and its alternating between "now" and "then." The structure is a main feature of this book because there is such a stark contrast between life for Bobby before and after Feather.
Description: A teenaged boy named Bobby comes to terms with the fact that he is now a father. His girlfriend and the mother of his child is in a vegetative state, leaving him to raise their daughter alone.
Review: The First Part Last offers a glimpse inside the world of a young father, who is hurled into manhood with the birth of his daughter, Feather. The book handles the pregnancy, as well as Bobby's relationships with his girlfriend, baby and parents in a way that is both touching and totally unvarnished. The obvious absence of Feather's mother throughout most of the book creates a point of tension that is resolved in the book's heartbreaking, but beautiful conclusion. Older readers will appreciate this book for its honest treatment of teen pregnancy, the complex portrayal of the characters, as well as the unique style of the narrative.
The First Part Last is told in a scattered, stream of conscious fashion, moving forward and backward through time and place. Some readers may have difficulty following this fractured chronology. Many more readers, though, will appreciate how closely this style mimics the way that real thoughts unfold.
Professional Reviews:
School Library Journal, October 2005.
This review praises the complex structure of the story and observes that the book would make a good centerpiece for class discussions. I agree that this book could be used as a point of departure for discussing both social issues and literature.
Jemtegaard, Kristi Elle. Horn Book Magazine, March/April, 2005.
This review also focuses on the complex structure of the narrative and its alternating between "now" and "then." The structure is a main feature of this book because there is such a stark contrast between life for Bobby before and after Feather.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2015
The First Part Last, by Angela Johnson, is a story told through the eyes of 16 year old Bobby as he learns how to raise a child when he is not yet and adult himself. On Bobby’s 16th birthday, his girlfriend, Nia, brought him a red balloon and told him she was pregnant. In the nine months or Nia’s pregnancy, she and Bobby stay together and eventually come the agreement that their child will be adopted because at their age they know that neither of them can support a child. It wasn't an easy decision for either of them but they felt it was the best option. When the baby was born something went wrong while Nia was giving birth and she ended up in a persistent vegetative state meaning she was unconscious and wouldn't wake up. This meant Bobby was on his own with his new daughter. He named her Feather. With Nia not there to help him sign the adoption paperwork, Bobby couldn't do it and decided to keep his daughter because she was the only piece of Feather he had left. You don’t find all of this out until the end of the book though because it is told in chapters of “now� and “then� so it goes back and forth between what’s happening currently and everything that happened leading up to the day of Feather’s birth. In the “now� part of the book, you learn about the struggles Bobby is going through to take care of feather and go to school and do things he needs to do for himself. I like that is does the back and forth because it isn't how books are normally written so the difference is cool. The chapters and book as a whole are really short and easy to read but in that short amount of writing there is a really good story and it’s definitely worth a read.
February 19, 2009
Teen pregnancy is a fairly common theme in young adult literature, dating back in my memory to Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones. Traditionally the stories are from the point of view of the mother; The First Part Last provides a different perspective in the voice of the expectant father. So often society is focused on how an unwanted pregnancy impacts the mother's life and forgets that an unwanted pregnancy affects the father's life more than placing blame on him. There are young men out there who are opposed to abortion, who would step up and take responsibility for their baby. This is a tender, sweet story about a young man named Bobby who does just that -- takes on the responsibility of raising his illegitimate daughter when his ex-girlfriend, Nia, wants to give her up for adoption. This is a story of accepting responsibility, caring for family, doing the right thing, and facing difficulties head on. Bobby is very believable as a sixteen-year-old struggling with his position in the world, and now having to rethink where his life is headed. It is heart-warming to see this young man become a man while he is tenderly caring for his daughter.
I cried buckets when I read this book, and was impressed at how gracefully Johnson handled this issue.
This book would provide a good book discussion amongst teens. The teens I know who read it wanted to talk about it, so it seems like a natural launching pad to remind boys and girls that no matter how careful they are, accidents happen and there are alternatives to seek out.
I cried buckets when I read this book, and was impressed at how gracefully Johnson handled this issue.
This book would provide a good book discussion amongst teens. The teens I know who read it wanted to talk about it, so it seems like a natural launching pad to remind boys and girls that no matter how careful they are, accidents happen and there are alternatives to seek out.
November 4, 2008
This book is about a boy named Bobby who is a teenager that is going to be a father.He has to make a very tough decision whether he wants to keep his baby or give her up for adoption.He really cares for the mother of his baby and in the book he says "shouldn't I go with you the first time",hes talking about going to a doctors appointment with his girlfriend and it surprises her.He also says "my bones ache tired,but I'm still wide awake",hes talking about being so tired but he still gets up and takes responsibility for his child who needs him.This book really makes me think different about fathers who are teenagers, you always think of the mother who has most the the responsibility's for the baby, but in this book it is really touching to know there are fathers that will take on full responsibility and be there for their child.
February 5, 2014
This book is about a teenage boy, Bobby. Him, and his girlfriend, Nia realize they are going to become parents and become "adults" with such responsibilities that come with it. Bobby and Nia both face a difficult situation of giving it up for adoption. With much thinking, they decide to keep it. Nia goes into a coma after giving birth, leaving Bobby to care for the baby all alone. His parents help out occasionally, only because they want to teach Bobby responsibility. He faces so many challenges and responsibilities that help become a better father everyday.
This book was a good pick. I was stuck to the book & couldn't put it down. I encourage people to read this.
This book was a good pick. I was stuck to the book & couldn't put it down. I encourage people to read this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2017
Amazing, lyrical, quiet writing, that conveyed so much emotion in so few words. Highly recommended. A short, impactful read. The kind of writing that I most enjoy, and would love to read more of. Thank goodness this writer has lots of other work out there.
I especially enjoyed that Bobby, the main character defied just about every stereotype of young, Black fathers. Reading about him both hurt and healed my heart.
I especially enjoyed that Bobby, the main character defied just about every stereotype of young, Black fathers. Reading about him both hurt and healed my heart.
June 18, 2017
داستان فوق العاده زیبایی بود راجع به مراحل تبدیل نوجوانی حومه شهری به یک پدر کاملا مسئولیت پذیر در رابطه با بچه ش. پسری که از یه فرد بی مسئولیت تبدیل شد به کسی که نتیجه اعمالش رو قبول کرد و به فردی مسئول تبدیل شد. سیستم روایتش ساده س و بیشتر از دید شخصیت اصلی داستان بیان میشه و اصلا اغراق اضافه نداره. نثرش ساده س و سریع جلو میره.
And then I know I'm being a man, not just some kid who's upset and wants it his way.
And then I know I'm being a man, not just some kid who's upset and wants it his way.
October 13, 2021
This powerful story was recommended to me by a friend who reads it with her high school students (thanks Molly!) and I really enjoyed the audio book. The text structure is set up with a present-day story line of teenager Bobby and his newborn, Feather, as well as flashbacks to Bobby's past when he learned of his girlfriend's pregnancy through her traumatic delivery. The question of "what is the right thing to do?" carries through the story right up until the end. At under 2 hours, the audio book was a quick read, both emotional and thought-provoking.
March 24, 2020
I absolutely LOVED this book from the story line to the style in which it was written by alternating chapters between "Now" and "Then." This is a quick read, as it is not a long book to begin with, but also because you won't be able to put it down. I have found new perspective and respect through Johnson's story of a young teen dad raising a baby while going to school. A heartfelt read!!! I highly recommend it for older teens and even adults!
May 12, 2021
Review
December 21, 2021
this book had no business making me feel feelings!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,766 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.