the first part last by Angela Johnson

Stereotypes and judgements - wow this book does an excellent job making the reader look at those things.  While reading the first part last, (actually the judgements started before I read the first word - it started when I looked at the cover of a boy and a baby) I found myself thinking the main character, Bobby, was foolish, selfish, crazy, and a number of other negative things.  Just looking at the cover, my mind wandered and I imagined I knew the story just b/c the character was young and black - in fact, because he was male I was puzzled for a moment and thought he was “stuck” b/c the mom must have wanted to keep the baby.  Wow!  I am not a racist person - I believe everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and love regardless of their gender, race, class, age, or anything else.  People are people; yet here I am prejudging the character before I even read a single word.  How many people in our world do that on a regular basis?  Myself included!  Unlike most situations in real life where judging occurs, the first part last gives readers the details, the answers, the real story from the boy’s/father’s perspective and makes the reader (or at least it made me) acutely aware of how seldom  people really know the entire story.  The reader, the characters (like the teacher or people on the bus) have no clue what the entire story entails; and therefore they judge the entire situation, misread the people involved, and walk away with their mind made up - their stereotypes strengthened - and no clue how wrong they might be (or in this case are).

As I read, I kept waiting for the NOW chapter that included the Nia’s reasoning for abandoning her child.  As I got closer and closer to the end I was waiting for the two of them to fight, kept waiting for an explanation as to why she would just walk away.  I found myself really disliking her for leaving Bobby and Feather.  I was also waiting for Bobby to change his mind and give Feather back (I even judged to choice of names - thought how immature to name a child that...I felt like such a jerk when I got to the end).  I was impressed by his mother’s determination to let Bobby live with his choice (tough love); I was disappointed by his father’s passive approach to the situation, thought he babied his son.  While reading I got frustrated by some of Bobby’s choices thinking - grow up!  How immature!  You are a father.  and the next chapter thinking, “well, he is just a kid trying to do so much - cut him some slack.”  I contradicted myself throughout.  

When I got to the end I was completely caught off guard.  Felt like such a b*$#@ for all the things I thought about Bobby, about Nia, was mad at Bobby’s mom and liked his father.  At the end I completely understood Bobby keeping Feather.  And then...I thought that really, nothing changed about Bobby’s situation other than it got worse.  When Nia was there to help, they knew they shouldn’t keep the baby.  Now he has to go at it alone and he decides to keep her - what is he thinking.  Again - the questions this book brings up are endless.  

I kept thinking this would be a wonderful discussion piece for students.  Reading this could bring out discussions about stereotypes, choices, values, how you look at others when they make decisions, can circumstances change what the “right” thing to do is.  Is everything right/wrong, black/white, good/bad.  How would the story change if the characters were white?  another race?  another class?  What would those people have for options - does that change what is right/wrong.  

Some random things:

On page 103, Bobby’s mom says, “I don’t think you and your brother could have stood two parents like me.”   This line shows that people are not perfect, most know their faults, and regardless of who you are, you have to be true what what you think is right, even if you maybe don’t like it.  

Does anyone wonder why Nia’s parents do not want a more active role in the life of their grandbaby?  I realize they were not terribly involved with Nia - but they loved her and wanted a good life for her - one would imagine they would want a part of her - which would be Feather.

Switching back and forth between then and now, as Johnson does throughout the book, seems a much better format than chronological.  For one, the same effect would be lost if written chronologically - she did have to write the first part last in order to have the readers determine everything before they knew anything.  This style of writing out of order has become more popular in the past several years or so.  Jodi Picoult does this nearly every time she writes a novel.  The Time Traveler’s Wife is a good example.  James Patterson does as well.  This is by no means a new way of writing but it is becoming more evident.  Some people may struggle with this style or format (those who are very structured or focused - the nonmulti-taskers of the world) but in a novel like this one it is necessary and powerful.  Students/readers who have short attention spans will appreciate this b/c it keeps going back and forth - jumping from one place to the next - never getting dull b/c the reader is always trying to figure things out/piece things together.