From the Bookshelf of Mock Newbery 2026…

The First State of Being

Erin Entrada Kelly

Start date: January 27, 2025

Finish date: February 28, 2025

Discussion: Newbery 2025

Why we're reading this: Winner of the 2025 John Newbery Medal
[close] Winner of the 2025 John Newbery Medal

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Newbery 2025

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* Final Round - 2025 Mock Newbery Award
By Kristen · 26 posts · 148 views

last updated Jan 20, 2025 07:44AM

Round 1 - 2025 Mock Newbery Award
By Kristen · 24 posts · 114 views

last updated Jan 12, 2025 10:17AM

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What Members Thought

Aug 18, 2024 Beth Given rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio

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 ...more

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Sep 04, 2024 Dest rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, newbery, middle-grade, sci-fi

I think this is a book about anxiety. In my imagination, EEK was thinking about how a lot of kids today have climate anxiety, but she decided to write about it in a roundabout way.

In the summer of 1999, 12yo Michael has Y2K anxiety. He desperately wants to keep his family safe from the potential fallout of a Y2K disaster. So when a time traveler from the future arrives, it represents the opportunity to alleviate his fears about the future. This time traveler should be able to tell him how to pr ...more

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Mar 21, 2024 Tamsyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: multiple-timelines-or-perspectives, fms, science-fiction, children-s, mock-newbery

By far my favorite book from Erin Entrada Kelly. What an interesting group of characters in the summer of 1999, one from the future who wasn't supposed to test the theory! I loved the whole story, and the icing on the cake at the end. Another book that runs the gamut of emotions with an intriguing story. ...more

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Apr 27, 2024 alisonwonderland (Alison) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, kindle-borrow, time-travel, 2024-publication-date

Middle grade is my thing of late, and time travel is totally my jam.

Another excellent novel by Erin Entrada Kelly! I’m definitely a fan.

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Jul 06, 2024 Kate rated it really liked it

Shelves: middle-grade, library, newbery2025

Really enjoyed this cozy sci-fi MG, which has the authenticity and emotional resonance of realistic fiction in Erin Entrada Kelly's steady and capable hands. I didn't manage to guess the twist until the very end, so the anticipation kept me turning pages. The late 90s cultural references were big fun -- especially because my spouse is from Newark, DE... home of Christiana Mall and, apparently, time travel research. This doesn't feel like a Newbery winner to me, necessarily, but I will recommend ...more

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