A MG time travel story.
9️⃣9️⃣
It’s August 1999 and Michael Rosario lives in Fox Run Apartments in Red Knot, Delaware. He’s anxious about a lot of things: the Y2K crisis, his mom’s job loss and his crush on his babysitter, Gibby. When a disoriented teen named Ridge shows up claiming he’s from the future, Michael realizes that there’s more to life than stockpiling for the future. Ridge knows what will happen, but won’t tell Michael and as they try to get Ridge acclamation to 1999 and get him back home, he learns more about himself in the process.
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As always Erin does a phenomenal job creating characters that are relatable, even from the year 1999. Michael (not Mike)’s anxiety and worries happen with our students everyday and many will see themselves in him page after page. The last part of the novel where we see the future of our characters was superb. Fans of When You Reach Me will love this book.

CW: anxiety, death, grief

This is another example of adults probably loving a book more than kids will. This will be great for a class read aloud, but I don’t see it being a hit in free choice reading unless booktalked really well. It dragged for me a bit, which is surprising since it was short.

Erin Entrada Kelly is a gift to children's literature. I have enjoyed every one of her middle grade novels and this was no exception. Her characters are fully realized and relatable. Her writing isn't simple but not overly complicated, challenging the reader while being digestible. I think this will be a win for many young readers (and adults).

I loved this sweet sci-fi 90s Middle Grade book! In 1999, the sweetest and most anxious boy named Michael is trying to prepare for his biggest fear - the Y2K crisis - by stealing and stockpiling goods under his bed for his mama and himself. He’s lonely and scared, and I just wanted to hug him through the pages and tell him everything was going to be okay. He’s surrounded by (mostly) kind people at his apartment complex, like Gibby (his babysitter) and Mr. Mosley (the maintenance man and a good friend).

In the far future, a kid named Ridge lives in a world in which time travel is theoretically possible although ethically debated. His mother is a top tier scientist and, as a result of a heated argument with his brothers, he attempts to travel to 1999 - and succeeds, arriving in the middle of Michael’s apartment complex.

I was unprepared for how hard this book would tug at the heartstrings! This is more than a science fiction time travel book. It can actually be read at different levels, as a heartwarming story, as an inspiring tale, or as a look at what it actually means to live in the present. Time travel can be a difficult trope to pull off well for any audience, but middle grade can especially get bogged down in some of the theories (after all, this isn’t the Back to the Future generation anymore). I did notice that I was skimming over a lot of the futuristic timeline chapters (so. many. acronyms.), and I think they would also be frustrating and/or boring for middle grade readers. Thankfully, the 90s timeline does the heavy lifting in keeping the reader’s attention.

This is one of those books that I would recommend to adult readers, especially if they were teens in the 90s! The references alone spoke to my soul, but the characters spoke to my heart and will remain there for a long time. Grades 4+

I chose to read this book to support the author during a difficult time. And I have zero regrets. This book is fantastic. We all need to learn to live in the first state of being. Hopefully this book helps many kids get there!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Michael is twelve and is very, very worried about Y2K. This story takes place in an apartment complex in Delaware in the summer of 1999, and he and his sometimes babysitter (though he’s too old for a babysitter) have just met a boy named Ridge from the future. A quick read, this story speeds by in a heartfelt and compelling narrative, full of characters that stay with you long after the last page is turned. Kelly has always written stories about beautifully awkward children, and this is no different, as readers watch Michael fumble on the cusp of young adulthood. The grief of everyday people, a wave of 90s nostalgia all interspersed with peeks into Ridge’s family in the future through their log books and conversations, it come together to provide a perfect slice-of-life with a side of time travel. It is beautiful to watch Ridge shake Michael out of his anxiety-ridden state and into a “first state of being.” I love this book and I’m going to buy it for the school library. I definitely think it is a contender for the 2025 Newbery.

Time travel is complicated, for sure. I am still thinking about that crazy ending. I don't know how Erin Entrada Kelly is able to create such different characters so very well. The Gibby twist. I'll definitely be upselling this one.

The First State of Being is an incredible MG book that will have kids (and adults) on the edge of their seats! Michael, Ridge, Gibby, and Mr. Mosely are unforgettable characters that will have you laughing, crying, worried, relieved, and thinking about the relationships you have in your own life. This book is great for readers who enjoy sci-fi/fantasy, but also great for readers who prefer realistic fiction. Ridge is a character living in the future who travels to the best decade ever... the 1990s! He has fun learning about the 90s for a while, but has many challenges to overcome including illness and difficulty returning to his own time. Michael is a quiet kid who tries to stay out of trouble, but realizes he's been making some poor life choices. Through their time together, both Ridge and Michael learn a lot and both learn to appreciate what they have and focus on the first state of being. I highly recommend this book to all readers!

The First State of Being is a little more "sci-fi" than my kids and I usually read, but we have loved Erin Entrada Kelly's books in the past. I'm so glad I gave this one a go! I was a little older than Gibby in the summer of 1999, so this brought back a lot of memories of that time period in my life. (Note to Ms. Kelly: the Dale Earnhardt reference during the Eloise was a bit jarring when I realized what Ridge *didn't* say -- well done!)

I loved how this one wrapped up so beautifully, weaving all the loose ends together. I think I'll want to do this one together as a read-aloud or listen to the audiobook when we get to that section of American History later this spring so I can see the look on their faces (and explain all the references!).

4 stars

This is another great effort from a proven middle grade author.

Despite the fact that it's his birthday and it's even 1999, Michael, the m.c., is absolutely NOT partying like the song demands. Instead, he's experiencing some real stress over what he views as the impending Y2K disaster. More seasoned readers will LOVE the various period specific references, but Michael's stress is sure to bring up uncomfortable memories of how some folks actually responded around this time. The good news is that Michael's stress is somewhat offset by a crush on Gibby, his babysitter and near peer, and Ridge, a peculiar individual who just appears in their community one day...from the distant future!

The time travel elements, historical connections, and correspondence/writings from the future make this a unique (in a good way) middle grade effort, though they also result in a slightly more complex read relative to the audience. This is one of the main reasons I'll be recommending it to my students.

Michael is worried about a lot of things -- school, friends, his mom who is working three jobs, and especially the impending Y2K disaster. As a 12 year old, he knows he shouldn't need a babysitter but he doesn't mind hanging out with 15 year old Gibby during the summer since he has a huge crush on her. When Ridge shows up, claiming to be from 200 years in the future, they aren't quite sure what to make of him. (We, as the reader, know that he is from the future thanks to alternating chapters set then.) Once they believe him, Michael hounds Ridge to find out what will really happens as 1999 turns to 2000. Ridge just wants to see a real mall. This is a fabulous time travel book for grades 5 & up, especially the end. Highly recommended.

A middle grade science fiction time travel story set in the 90s, featuring time travel, Y2K, and learning to live in the present in spite of all the uncertainties of the future. This is my third EEK book and I think the author’s work just isn't for me. While objectively always good books with a fantastic concepts and amazing lessons, I never seem to feel connected to the story or the writing. I do think this book will appeal to a lot of readers. One comment on this is that it’s divided into two separate story lines, the one set in the present featuring the Filipino MC, and the one set in the future - while the one set in the present seems very age-appropriate for middle graders, the chapters that are set in the future feel very disjointed with vocabulary and prose that may be far too advanced for middle graders. The dissociation of the two writing styles felt very strange.
(+) Filipino American author and MCs, nonbinary secondary characters, autistic-coded MC

It's blasphemous to say as a youth librarian, but I have not yet read an Erin Entrada Kelly before! I really enjoyed this one, so I'm excited to delve deeper into her other works.
To be honest, I'm not typically very into time travel stories--I find the rules to be more of a hindrance in terms of keeping track of details than it is enjoyable. However, this plot was very well thought out and the rules seemed to be in place. It was definitely a kid-friendly version of time travel, which is honestly perfect for me because I'd rather not with the headaches.
All in all, I'm excited to start recommending this one to our young patrons who may be into sci-fi/dystopian/general fiction.

What a different genre for Erin Estrada Kelly (Hello, Universe, We Dream of Space, Those Kids From Fawn Creek, Blackbird Fly, among others) and proves that she has quite a range and can create excellence that appeals to a wide variety of readers. As stated in the publisher’s thorough summary, Michael Rosario, a rising 7th grader who fights feelings of guilt over his mother losing her job and anxiety due to many situations, i.e. public speaking, the economic situation he and his single mom find themselves, the rapidly approaching Y2K event and more, drives the plot and, thankfully, is likable and relatable. While fatherless, he has a strong support system in his hard-working, loving mother, the resident maintenance man, Mr. Mosley, as well as his “babysitter” Gibby, a true friend despite their age difference. When time traveler Ridge makes his appearance, the trio of kids set out to first show him a mall of the 90s but later, to help him get back to his own timeline. Ridge operates under a system of living in the present, the first state of being, and helps Michael begin to find one positive, potential outcome in scary situations. By the book’s conclusion, Michael is less fearful, Ridge is safely home and we get a look at the future for Michael and Gibby. Plenty of potential scientific discoveries included to keep readers wondering if, in fact, time travel, healing HUCK patches, and dissolvable “sumbooks” of all knowledge could be in our future. Keeping a good mix of realism and the futuristic and creating such a clear present day for Michael and those in his immediate circle of influence make this a winner for those in grades 4-8 who enjoy both sci-fi and realistic fiction. Text is free of profanity, sexual content, and violence. Representation: race is not a factor in the plot, but some characters are identified as Filipino and Black without feeling forced.

In The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly (Greenwillow Books, March 2024), Michael is a lonely celebrating his 12th birthday in the summer of 1999 when his life is changed by the appearance of strange kid in his apartment complex. Michael is an awkward kid obsessed with Y2K (yes, that moment when computers will move from 1999-2000 and supposedly cause problems), along with worries about his embarrassing past encounters with kids his age and the hard things to come in his next year at school. But with the arrival of Ridge, a boy from 200 years in the future, Michael is forced to rethink his life and his role in it.

Ridge, a self-proclaimed genius from 2199, has studied philosophical concepts as well as the science of space travel. He knows the names and theories of time travel scientists since his mother is the one that has made the time travel mechanism that brings him to 1999. He’s also studied 1990s history and culture to be better prepared for whatever one would encounter should they travel back in time. Although Michael and his babysitter Gibby have never before thought about their world as unique, with Ridge’s fascination with the mall, the answering machine, the car, and other distinctly 1990s things, they begin to look at the world with new eyes.

At first glance, The First State of Being may be written off as a science fiction time travel book. One could also consider it as a novel of self-discovery, especially for Michael. But in some respects, the 200 years of difference between Ridge and his 1990s friends is not the central theme. Rather, the book just bursts with philosophical questions about what does time and now mean? What does the future hold and why? How does what we do now impact the future? How does what we did in the past impact our now? What are the possibilities of the future? Who and what will we be in one day, one year, two years, twenty years?

The mix of conversations between the 1999 characters and the boy from 2199 brings all sorts of considerations into focus. As a result of Ridge’s encouragement to focus on the First State of Being (meaning the current moment), Michael can move on. He is no longer going to be worried about the past (he can’t change it) and the worries about the future are not set in stone (there is always a possible positive result along with any possible bad result).

I loved the book so much that as soon as I finished, I started rereading it, looking for the moments in the story that helped explain the book as a whole, the things that put all that happened into perspective. Although one can read The First State of Being as being an amusing story that all fits together satisfactorily, I also loved looking at how even this narrative story intertwined the past and the future. It all happens at once.

One more thought: See the cover? That is the reflection of the kids in a puddle of rain. We may think we’re looking at the real thing, but we’re actually looking at the reflection of it. This is kind of the feel of the story: contemplating the here along with the past and the future. Which part of these happenings is real?

WOW, I feel like my thoughts about this book is moving into Plato territory now. What a fascinating look at philosophy, just in that front cover. Nice job, cover artist!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance review copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Great read, loved the mix of historical fiction and science fiction! As a person who was almost 10 for Y2K the story really resonated with me, I remember that fear of everything going wrong. The twist at the end was the perfect cherry on top -- looking forward to including this title on our summer reading list!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eArc. Michael Rosario lives in an apartment complex in Delaware in August of 1999 and is very concerned about Y2K, in part because his mother lost her good paying job when he had the flu, so he has been shoplifting canned good and other items they will need in case everything shuts down. Now his mother works three jobs and is never home, so Mr. Mosely, the handyman and Gibby, a neighbor watches him sometimes as well. Michael is scared of a lot of things, and gets worried when he sees a strangely dressed kid sitting on a bench at the complex. Gibby and he discover that this kid (Ridge) has actually traveled back in time because he loves everything about the 90s, especially the malls.
I enjoyed this, and also the parts where Ridge's family was trying to figure out how to get him home. I like the character development, and this was a quick read, which will appeal to my MS students, making easy an easy sell.
The cover is gorgeous!

I loved this book!!! I loved how all the threads got tied up in the end, including threads that I didn't even know would need tying up. The sumbook sections in between chapters was excellent world building for both the near past and distant future. Michael's sense of responsibility for everyone around him was very well-developed and I think will be relatable to lots of readers. Ridge's awe at the late 1990s was very charming, and I loved how the future was depicted as an imperfect place with a handful of improvements to modern day (no bees, but also no illness, for example).

The first state of being was a mix of the past and futuristic. I really enjoyed the references to the 90s, while also enjoying the thoughts of where our future could be several years from now. In true Erin Entrada Kelly form, it was warm, adventurous, heart-wrenching and challenging all at once.

I absolutely love this story. I love the idea of the future and past working together. Well written, engaging and will keep kids interest. Very neat how it all wraps up and comes together

I am a big fan of EEKs writing and easily fall in love with her characters. This story is a creative take on Back to the Future if Doc was a charming and witty teen. But the true story is about Michael, a worrier - a planner of the future and his world is unpredictably scary as Y2K is looming over his future. This story is for the deep thinking kids. The ones who pick safety over being popular. The kids who like predictability over instability. To you, Miss Kelly managed to see you.