The First State of Being

by Erin Entrada Kelly

When twelve-year-old Michael Rosario meets a mysterious boy from the future, his life is changed forever.

It's August 1999. For twelve-year-old Michael Rosario, life at Fox Run Apartments in Red Knot, Delaware, is as ordinary as ever—except for the looming Y2K crisis and his overwhelming crush on his fifteen-year-old babysitter, Gibby. But when a disoriented teenage boy named Ridge appears out of nowhere, Michael discovers there is more to life than stockpiling supplies and pining over Gibby.

It turns out that Ridge is carefree, confident, and bold, things Michael wishes he could be. Unlike Michael, however, Ridge isn’t where he belongs. When Ridge reveals that he’s the world’s first time traveler, Michael and Gibby are stunned but curious. As Ridge immerses himself in 1999—fascinated by microwaves, basketballs, and malls—Michael discovers that his new friend has a book that outlines the events of the next twenty years, and his curiosity morphs into something else: focused determination. Michael wants—no, needs—to get his hands on that book. How else can he prepare for the future? But how far is he willing to go to get it?

Genres: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Time Travel, Fiction, Audiobook, Childrens

272 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 2024

About the author

Author of books for young people.

Reviews

[Erin Entrada Kelly]

Dear Readers,

I love all my characters, but 12-year-old Michael Rosario has my whole heart. He loves his Mama, a single mother who works three jobs. He loves his babysitter, Gibby (but in a very different way, of course!) And he loves Mr. Mosley, the maintenance man at his apartment complex who has become his best friend.

Michael is also very worried about Y2k, which is just around the corner. If only he knew the future, he wouldn't have to worry so much. But there's no chance that would ever happen ... until Ridge appears.

I hope you love Michael as much as I do. And remember: It's always Michael, never Mike. :)

Erin

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 3 stars ✰

“Before you go to sleep at night, ask yourself: was I the best person I could be today?

If the answer is no, do better tomorrow.”

Erin Entrada Kelly's latest middle grade is a nostalgic trip down memory lane that shows its young readers to embrace the time that they're living in and not worry about what's to come. ​For in the months before the impending Y2K dread had gripped the world with the fear of ​the uncertain unknown, the lesson​ learned by Michae​l​, a lonely twelve-year-old boy, is that life is what it is at the stages that it comes to you​. It's a soft and gentle reminder that it's best to focus on the here and the now, or in other ​words - The First State of Being ✨✨.

“Every breath we take, we’re contributing to history.”

Michael's fears felt very warranted; but, so too was his innate desire to learn so much more about the events that were going to happen from Ridge, the time-traveling teenager who suddenly appeared in 1999 from the future. And when he arrives into his and Gibby, his baby-sitter's lives, he really does shake things up with the limited knowledge that he shares with them. And while there is really nothing new about this futuristic story in terms of ideas, it's the lesson that it helps us learn that probably stood out for me, and Michael's reaction to the sudden revelations. 'He wanted to stay so he wouldn’t miss anything. He wanted to leave so he would.' 🥺 All the moments and experiences and challenges he was facing now took precedence over his trepidation of not knowing what to expect when Y2K happens and to be readily prepared for it. By checking in on what is going to happen, you're missing out on what is happening. He's forgetting that he has a life now that matters - with the people he cares about and how care about his well-being, too. ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

I did enjoy all the little nods to the past - ' it’s 1999! The best year! The Backstreet Boys! Britney Spears! Fight Club! The Matrix! Ricky Martin, livin’ la vida loca!' 🥹 Although, I did fume at the slander to the Backstreet Boys. 😂 But in the end, it's simply a time that can't come back. It's that unforgettable memory of being there when Y2K struck, we were at our rental movie store, and all the streetlights were on, everyone glancing at their digital clocks thinking what's going to happen when it reaches 12am - will the clocks reset - malfunction - go haywire! It was wild! Imagine how so lacking of any fanfare it was, when it simply turned the dial!! So, Michael's palpable wanting to know - I related to that a lot; maybe, because I was turning twelve that year, too. 😊

And I also don't fault Ridge either for being in awe of all that it offered and his desire to experience it for himself. Gibby and Michael reacted to him in a believable manner, and I did appreciate the little hints that the author left to show just how much his arrival would or would not change history. 'Sometimes history remembers people who don’t deserve it and forgets the ones who do.' It didn't quite carry that emotional hit - like there wasn't enough weight to either of the characters' developments for them to be memorable, but the message is quite clear, which I think will resonate with young readers. That the time we're in, is a gift - do what you can to make the most of it - 'the one in which everything matters.' Michael will learn that the hard way, but he needed to - in order for him not to stay mired in guilt or grief or even loneliness. Time is too precious to waste on not being. 😟

“It’s always a dangerous time to be alive, depending on who and where you are.”

The alternating shift between the present and the future was done well, although I didn't quite care for the inclusion of the future articles or notes that cited the differences that would happen through time to the world. I also wonder if there will ever be an interpretation where the future is more of a hopeful one than what is portrayed. 😥 We're always presented with this notion that we're destroying the world and losing everything that we take for granted, so I can't help but wonder why it is that in the years to come - why don't we ever see a take where things actually become better?

[Louis Muñoz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounding down to 2. Interesting premise, but somehow, the execution never really worked for me. I can see others liking this, but it was only just okay for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts about it.

[Ms. B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this science fiction story set in 1999 about twelve year-old (prone to worrying) Michael and two older teen Gibby and another older teen Ridge who the two befriend when he travels back in time to their neighborhood. A perfect mix of a 1990s nostalgia story and classic children's science fiction like A Wrinkle in Time and the more recent When You Reach Me.
Could a 2025 Newberry Award be in its future? Only Ridge knows. 🙂

[Elisabeth Ensor · Rating 1 out of 5]

To say I’m disappointed in the 2025 Newbery winner is an understatement. Modern children’s literature is increasingly inundated with a political agenda, and this book is no exception. What could have been a simple and engaging time-travel story instead shoehorns in a non-binary character, vaccine propaganda, and climate change rhetoric. It’s clear that today’s literary awards favor books that align with a particular narrative, but I have no interest in that. While the writing itself is strong, I cannot recommend this book.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 It's August 1999 and 12-year old Michael is out-of-his-mind worried about Y2K. Then Ridge shows up from the future. It was an impulsive move on Ridge's part and now he is out-of-his-mind worried about changing the future. A clever time travel story with likeable characters and a wonderful ending. Important: don't miss the additional excerpts at the back!

"'The first state of being,' he said. 'That's what my mom calls the present moment. It's the first state of existence. It's right now, this moment, in this car. The past is the past. The future is the future . . . This is the first state, the most important one, the one in which everything matters. . . the third state -- the future. I'll worry about that when I get there.'"

"'Sometimes history remembers people who don't deserve it and forgets the ones who do . . . Just because he isn't written in a book doesn't mean he wasn't important"

"Not knowing might be part of life, but that didn't make it any easier."

[Mitzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a unique and cleverly written story set in 1999 where 12 year-old Michael worries about a lot of things--bullies, his hard-working mom and maybe most of all, Y2K. But then he (and his babysitter Gibby) meet Ridge, a teen from the future. Of course what it's really about is learning to live in the moment (the first state of being). A couple of quotes that I loved and needed to be reminded of:

"You'll never get anywhere if you what-if everything. You've got to live in the now. The first state."

"Before you go to sleep at night, ask yourself: was I the best person I could be today? If the answer is no, do better tomorrow."

Pretty good reminders, don't you think?

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️What a sweet and clever story! This book has earned a place with other Newbery winners about time travel, like A Wrinkle in Time and When You Reach Me. It is the story of Michael, a 12YO boy in the year 1999, who is scared of the dire predictions being spread about Y2K! He is a shy, nervous boy who constantly imagines the worst in any unknown scenario. So he becomes seriously freaked out when he meets a strange boy named Ridge, who claims that he has transported himself from the future. Ridge is obsessed with the “history” of the 1990’s—like the music and the malls! But he knows that he needs to return to his own timeline before he alters history, so Michael and his sometime-babysitter, Gibby, try to help him figure out how to get back. (After they visit the mall, of course!) This book is a quick and entertaining read. There are some not-so-subtle morals and environmental warnings sprinkled into the plot, but it puts a smile on your face to see how everything-and everyone-fits together in the end!

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange new kid shows up at Michael's apartment complex. Michael has enough to worry about---his mom is working three jobs...he has a crush on his babysitter, Gibby...Michael's got bulleying problems at his new school...and will he and his mom be ready for Y2K---and now he has to help Ridge, who, if he is to be believed, has traveled to 1999 from the future and needs to get back.

A fascinating story of the small but wonderful ways in which people help people and make the world better.

Winner of the 2025 Newbery Award.

Quotes:

“‘Who knows why people do the things they do. […] It’s not your job to figure out why walnut-brained people do walnut-brained things. It’s your job to make sure you don’t become one of those people.’ [Mosley] pointed the book at Michael. ‘You know what my mama used to say? “Before you go to sleep at night, ask yourself: was I the best person I could be today? If the answer is no, do better tomorrow.” I have a feeling Leonard Gibson has never asked himself that question a day in his life. But that’s not your concern.’”

“‘Trust me, you’re better off not worrying about the future. Focus on the here and now. That’s what I’m doing,’ Ridge said. He was still looking out the window. He hadn’t stopped. ‘The first state of being.’

“‘I know it doesn’t seem glamorous or interesting to you right now,’ Ridge said. ‘But that’s because no one realizes they’re living history every minute of every day. Sure, there are big moments, like the first Black president or the first trip to Mars and Jupiter, or the first STM. But the truth is, we’re making history at this very moment, sitting on this couch together, looking at this EGG in these unfortunate living quarters. Every breath we take, we’re contributing to history.’”

“[Mr. Mosley’s] eyes softened. ‘I was lucky, though. I had a good mama, like you. She’d take out money from every paycheck and drop it in a big jar with my name on it. When I left home for good, she gave the jar to me, and told me I’d been a good boy.’”

“It was what she [Ms. Rosario] always said. I took every breath. In other words: if she was still here, still breathing, it was a good day, and she was thankful for it.”

“That's third-state thinking. You'll never get anywhere if you what-if everything. You've got to live in the now. The first state.”

[jo ୨୧]

dnf

[Nicole Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the immense pleasure of reading this before publication and I can only say it’s not often when I fall in love with characters so much I miss them a week after reading. I miss Michael, Gibby and Ridge. I’m a big fan of time travel, but only when it’s done right. It must be smart, heartfelt and fill you with wonder. The First State accomplishes all of that and more.

[Bethany Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Michael Rosario’s life is turned upside down when he meets Ridge, a time traveler with a book that could change everything. As Michael grapples with the excitement of the future and the pull of his own desires, he must decide how far he’s willing to go for knowledge.

I LOVED this book, and I truly couldn’t wait to keep listening every time I had to stop. It was so engrossing, and took me right back to those fears before the year 2000. I loved being inside Michael’s head as he learned about grief, fear, love, and what he’s willing to do for others and himself. I loved Gibby so much and Ridge was amazing too! The full circle moments had me teary eyed. I’d fully recommend this one, and the audio was wonderful.

[Josephine Sorrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d label this book in the genre of science fiction. The story is set in August 1999. Middle grade readers won’t understand the uncertainty of the world that year as computers were set to 00 on midnight and nothing anyone coukd do to change the fact. We were all on alert to see what would happen at the stroke of midnight.
So you see the prospects were quite worrisome with thus potential Y2K disaster looming and Michael Rosario, is experiencing social anxiety over the possibility that technology will melt down on Jan. 1, 2000. Well we know the disaster didn’t happen. But 12 year old Michael doesn’t know that, and he’s stockpiling stolen canned goods for himself and his overworked single mother in case it does. You will truly like Michael. He us such a tender and caring person. But Michael’s anxiety is so keen it has isolated him from most kids his age.

Then on Michael’s 12th birthday he meets Ridge. Even newcomer Ridge notices his anxiety commenting to Michael, “You have a weighted mind.” Ridge, is different too. First, he is oddly dressed, unclear of what day and year it is, and says things like maxing and relaxing. The reason for Ridge’s oddness is that he is a time traveler from the year 2199. His curiosity of spatial teleportation and the module his scientist mother is developing has landed him in Delaware in 1999. The module wasn’t perfected still Ridge has taken a joyride. Will he e stuck in 2000?

Michael introduces Ridge to Gibby, his babysitter, with whom has a crush on. In conversations with this strange new kid, he predicts the 1999 earthquake in Turkey. Then the disaster actually occurs leaving thousands upon thousands of people dead. When the news of the quake is broadcast, they seem to take Ridge a little more seriously. Michael and Gibby agree to help get him get back to the future, and his home. Ridge doesn’t know but the reader knows that his mother and brothers are furiously working to bring him home. In the meantime Ridge wants to visit a mall where he heard that teens gathered back in the day when malls existed. A place where people shop in real life, in real places is a foreign concept in Ridge’s time. Even though Michael pleads with Ridge to tell him what will happen with Y2K, he refuses stating it could alter altering the space-time continuum bringing disastrous results to the world. Whoa!


Ridge possessing wisdom gained from his experiences in the future, encourages Michael to occupy what he calls “the first state of being” and focus on the here and now, rather fixating on a future no one can control.


I must stop my review here as going any further will spoil the most interesting way Erin Entrada Kelly chose to conclude the book, even though I’m itching to reveal the results to you.
I highly recommend The First State if Being , but I suggest you either read the hard copy or wait until the book is read by a professional reader. The digital reader has the voice infections all wrong and was mostly flat.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! This book centers around a storyline of time travel but mixed in between the pages are stories about love, love of family, love of friends and living “your one precious life”. It’s a thought-provoking and engaging read.

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how Kelly can create both dear and flawed characters to adore. This is an excellent book with an excellent message without being a ‘message” book.

Popsugar24: #19 - A book set in the future

52 Book Club24: #36 - Has futuristic technology

[Maggie Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the 1999 setting, lots of fun references! Wish it included fewer flash forwards and resolved some of Michael’s anxieties about Y2K.

[Victor The Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking place in late August 1999 around the Y2K scare, we follow preteen boy Michael who leads a pretty average life with his mom at their Delaware apartment complex. In the day of his birthday, he meets a strange teen boy named Ridge who doesn’t know what date, year or where he is. When he and his babysitter Gibby meet Ridge again, they’ll soon learn that Ridge may be from the future accidentally and it’ll bring a few surprises.

A very familiar yet unique story about family and friendship that quickly takes a faintly grounded sci-fi turn. Michael’s story is very touching and bittersweet as we follow him and his mom’s home life on trying to make ends meet and prepping early for Y2K, as well as his friendships with others in the complex. The book really does get more serious and even bittersweet in the second half while there are moments that are a bit unexpected. Still, it’s a worth read that is less on plot but more on characters and looking forward on our lives. A- (91%/Excellent)

[Maggie Vallette · Rating 5 out of 5]

2025 Newbery Award winner. This was a pretty quick read and I really enjoyed it. A science fiction novel that takes place in 1999 on the cusp of Y2K. Michael is worrying about this big event when a mystery teen named Ridge shows up. Michael and his babysitter Gibby find out he from the future. Switching between documents explaining some of the futuristic terms, how time travel works, and then back to 1999. Michael is an anxious kid, stock piling for the impending y2k disaster, but Ridge encourages him to think in the ‘First State of being’ or the present. We can stress the future and harp on the past but we can live in the present/first state of being. Lots of good messages in this book and it was an enjoyable read

[Kelli Esplin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t come at me (Lisa) for only 3 stars. This 3 means it was fine! I enjoyed it. But it took awhile.

First of all, the story was not what I expected. The time travel. I spent the first half wondering if it was real or if it was just a new kid using his imagination. With it being for younger audiences, I fully expected it to be a new kid’s way of fitting in or finding his way in a new place he just moved to.

Michael and Gibby were well done characters. Both relatable in different ways. Definitely a middle grade read, but in a good way!

So it was fine! I enjoyed the connections made at the end. Even after finishing I connected a few more pieces. It was clever. And sweet. And just fine.

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, the 90s. It was fun to be spend time there again. I completely loved Mr. Mosley most of all, and his mama has some great advice we should all take to heart: "Before you go to sleep at night, ask yourself: was I the best person I could be today? If the answer is no, do better tomorrow."

[Crosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like turtles

[sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm local to Delaware, so the Delaware references made me very excited. I did not realise that Erin Entrada Kelly lived here! Overall—about 4 stars. Reminds me a bit of When You Reach Me.

Some notes:
- I really hope this book is correct about the University of Delaware becoming a major science hub someday, LOL.
- "Going to the Christiana Mall was the most exciting experience of my life" this made me laugh
- Great character develpment with Michael ahhh!

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-this just won the Newbery and I loved the characters, especially Mosley and Michael. It’s interesting that it really takes place in two settings the entire time. Felt like a short novella in a way where maybe there could have been more character exploration/development. But rounding up for the message behind the story.

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The First State of Being is a brilliant, highly readable middle grade book from the QUEEN of character-driven middle grade literature. This expansive sci-fi feels at once introspective and cinematic, leaping off the page like something made for a movie. This book will help young people and all readers reflect on our past and future as a human community, especially in terms of health advances, animal extinction, and the potential for technological development. It also highlights the love and fight in a mother and the need to view life through a positive lens by focusing most on the present, not our past or future.

Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/the-fi...

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute middle grade time travel novel set in 1999 on the precipice of Y2K that sees a boy from the future traveling back and befriending a group of friends who have no idea what to do with him. A great nod to the 90s that young readers will get to learn about for the first time. Good on audio, this was an entertaining, well-imagined read.

[Devin Jackman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was nice! It sort of reminded me of a 2000s Disney Channel Original Movie (non-derogatory).

[Beth Given · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's August 1999, and twelve-year-old Michael is worried: the Y2K bug has the potential to crash computer systems, halting civilization as he knows it. Even worse, nobody else seems worried at all, so it's up to Michael to prepare. Then he and his fifteen-year-old babysitter (and crush) Gibby meet a strange teen, Ridge, who says he's time-traveled from the future. Michael is desperate to know about Y2K -- but Ridge insists on keeping future events a secret, and just wants to be immersed in '90s pop culture and technology, ordinary things that Michael finds unimportant. Still, Michael finds that there are a lot of lessons he can learn from his new friend.

I really enjoyed this short middle grade novel! There were so many great characters: Gibby, Mosely, Ridge, Ridge's family, Michael's mom. Michael was an endearing main character, with a lot of internal demons and a lot of growth ahead of him in this coming-of-age story.

The sci-fi elements were fun. I was a little confused at first at the format of the dual timelines (probably compounded because I was doing the audiobook), but I got up to speed quickly and was surprised at how well I got to know Ridge's family just through audio transcripts.

Loved the themes of living in the moment, of trust, of believing in the good.

The epilogue was clever and satisfying.

No language (characters swear, but the words themselves aren't in print in the book).

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really fun take on a period that I grew up in *cue scary music* ....Y2K!

I did enjoy the story and found it lighthearted mostly with some serious moments that never strayed too far into thought provoking territory so I'd say it's definitely a lighter read.
The character's ongoing angst about what could happen during Y2K wasn't the most relatable (my family certainly took precautions and there was some fear there), but nothing compared to the angst/fear/dread I felt during 9-11-01.

Overall though, its a solid read and I can't go much into detail without risking spoiling some major plot points so I'd definitely recommend you check it out!

[Suezette Given · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleverly crafted

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I saw the dedication, I suspected this was my kind of book. Immediate classic. Worthy of the Newbery. Right up there with A Wrinkle in Time and When You Reach Me.