In August 1999, 12-year-old Michael Rosario is preparing for possible disaster with the turn of the new century (Y2K) when he meets Ridge, a teenager who’s time-traveled from 2199. Ridge shares the next day’s headline story to prove his claim to Michael and Michael’s teenage neighbor and sometimes babysitter, Gibby. For Michael (“half Filipino” American), who’s been stealing canned food his mom can’t afford to buy to stock up on supplies, Ridge holds the answers to what will happen with Y2K. But Ridge won’t risk impacting the timeline by revealing that future; he also has worries of his own. He time-traveled without permission and isn’t sure he can get back to 2199 due to damaged tech. Ridge is also fascinated by Michael and Gibby’s world: 1999 is his favorite year in history. While Gibby and Michael are Ridge’s guides to life on earth in 1999 (correcting his humorous misuse of slang; taking him on a thrilling—for Ridge–trip to a mall), Ridge’s family in 2199 is frantically trying to unravel what happened and bring him home—sections of narrative that read like a script, with amusing insight into the family’s lively dynamics. Ridge’s unexpected presence, along with an unexpected loss, give anxious, lonely Michael a new a new perspective, buoyed by the friendship that he, Ridge and Gibby develop: The future is unknown, but life in the moment (the “first state of being”) is full of possibilities. (Ages 9-12)

A FINALIST FOR THE 2024 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD

When twelve-year-old Michael Rosario meets a mysterious boy from the future, his life is changed forever. From bestselling author Erin Entrada Kelly, winner of the Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe and a Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space, this novel explores themes of family, friendship, trust, and forgiveness. The First State of Being is for fans of Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me.

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?

A story of time travel, friendship, found family, and first loves, this thematically rich novel is distinguished by its voice, character development, setting, and exploration of the issues that resonate with middle grade readers.