The 2025 Newbery Award winner was announced in January, and the incredible honor went to The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly. I had read this novel the previous year, and gave it a re-read once it received the Newbery Award. I enjoyed it even more on the second read. I highly recommend this novel not only because it is award-winning, but because it is a fun and touching time travel novel that I think kids will really enjoy.
OVERVIEW: It’s 1999 and 12 year old Michael is very worried about Y2K and the end of the world. But this isn’t all that he is worried about: he’s anxious about his single mom and her three jobs, he’s worried about starting seventh grade and having it be a repeat of his terrible sixth grade experience, and he’s worried he cries too much for a boy. But then Michael meets Ridge, a boy from 2199 who actually knows how Y2K ends up and a lot of other things that the future holds. Michael and his babysitter, Gibby, have to help Ridge get back to 2199, but not before they show him the mall and educate him on all things 1990s culture. But can Michael enjoy the moment of this adventure instead of obsessing about what the future holds?
AGE RANGE: I recommend this book for 4th graders to 7th graders, or about ages 10 – 13.
FAVORITE LINE:“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.”
THEMES: friendship, living in the present, grief, healing, family
DIG DEEPER: If you’re interested in guiding your reader or students through the novel with exercises to build comprehension, critical thinking, and literary analysis skills, check out this Novel Study & Literature Guide.
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