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+

Micheal was lovable 12 year who loves the people around him. His mother, a single mother, Gibby, his babysitter, and Mr. Mosley his neighbor and handyman surrounded him. Michael is a bit worrisome with talk of Y2K, his 12th birthday and everything concerning his mom. Then he encountered a boy from the future who teaches him to take it all day by say. I enjoyed this look back through the eyes of Michael and his new found friend. I love that Michael loves big.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book. I will add the print copy to my school library.

In my opinion it is a good middle grade read. It is engaging sci-fi for middle schoolers that parts of the narrative I got a kick out of because I was 6-7th grader myself in '99 (like the main character) . It is quirky in a way when going between the 90s and the future, but once you get used to the literary shift it is a fun little read.

Erin Entrada Kelly is an amazing author. My Filipino students are constantly asking for "Filipino books" and I love that I am able to recommend her excellent works.

This was an interesting concept. Michael is a 12-year old with social anxiety. His mom works three jobs, he has a part-time teen baby-sitter that he has a crush on, and he is really close with the building maintenance man. When he meets a teen who has traveled from the future, he wants nothing more than to find out the future holds.

As I was 13 during the time setting of this book, I found it charming. I am not sure how students will relate to it as elementary students do not currently have the nostalgic longing for the 90s that we are seeing from some older kids.

Despite, there being things that students may not fully relate to or understand, I think there are themes within this book that make it important for students. I would recommend it to my kiddos and will be getting a copy for our library.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio, and Greenwillow Books for the audio-ARC. As I received this post-publication, I also got an e-book from my local library as the AI voice that is used only for ARCs was distracting me from the story. All opinions are entirely my own.

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.
📆
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.

Name of Book: The First State of Being
Author: Erin Entrada Kelly
Narrator: Voice Galley created only for early review
Publisher: Harper Audio/Greenwood Books
Genre: Middle Grades, Time Travel
Pub Date: March 5, 2024
My Rating: 3.5 rounded up
Pages: 320

This note from the author got my attention
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, as it 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.

I liked this story but the voice galley was only okay. I have listened to others that were good. This one sounded digital and was actually a distraction!
I did enjoy the resources on the research that has and is going on regarding the science of time travel..
I may read it a bit later as I am sure I would rate it higher.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harper Audio/- Greenwood Books for this early audio.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 5, 2024.