Here's my first post for my young adult lit grad class: In Angela Johnson’s young adult novel, The First Part Last, she tells the story of a teen pregnancy and the weight it places on young Bobby’s life, and she organizes the novel in a way that creates suspense about the climactic childbirth. Johnson labels the book’s chapters “Now” and “Then,” choosing to “leap frog” on the timeline of the story, alternately narrating events that happen before and after the birth of Feather.

As a reader, the trip back and forth across the timeline of the story highlighted the somber tone of the novel that stayed consistent throughout, and raised questions for me about the presence of Nia “then,” and her conspicuous absence “now.” I read the dialogue between Nia and Bobby “then” for clues. Did the teens break up? Did Nia die in childbirth? Did Nia’s parents disappear? When I reached the childbirth, Johnson’s organizational strategy had it’s full impact. I flipped pages furiously. I had to know how Feather entered the story and why Nia exited, and why tone of this cautionary novel seemed so grey. Since this book deals with teen pregnancy and includes some sexual situations (although nothing explicit) teachers might want to make sure parents are OK with students reading about mature topics. It is just under 200 pages and a quick read. As for text's complexity, it is probably a good selection for a struggling high school reader, since it is pretty accessible.