415 reviews for:

The First State of Being

Erin Entrada Kelly

4.08 AVERAGE

flaminghomosexual's review

3.25

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

smreads24's review

4.25

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

brayten's review

3.75

hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

madeline_c's review against another edition

4.5

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I thought this was very good and can’t wait to recommend it to my students. It’s got a little bit of everything— characters with depth (Michael & his poor “weighted” soul— I feel you, bud), humorous moments, multiple theories of time travel (fun!), a bit of tear-jerking, inspiration to be an incrementally better person, and a GREAT lil timey twist towards the end. 

elnade's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

bonnie_the_book_lady's review

3.5

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Simply put, I don’t agree with the Newbery Committee this time. This book is an okay read which has the theme of being satisfied right where you are. But it feels as if it was written to be a sequel. Many loose ends, which is probably the premise. Yet it didn’t work for me. The target audience won’t understand Y2K. So much of the plot is lost. Quiet 12 year old Michael is terrified of the devastation many believe will happen as the date of the Y2K rollover looms. He makes plans to survive and save his mom. As he is with his teenaged babysitter, they see a strange boy dressed in odd clothing. Ridge is his name and he has time traveled to 1999. A friendship is established as all worry about the near future. 

goddess_andraste's review

3.25

fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mahrainey's review

5.0

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1999 time travel/historical fiction with a wonderful message about the importance of the present as “the first state of being.” Not to mention commentary on environmental issues and pioneering female scientists. Pretty dang close to perfect.

boathon's review

3.5

medium-paced

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

birdiesbookbindings's review against another edition

3.5

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

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Erin Entrada Kelly’s The First State of Being is a middle-grade novel that intertwines time travel with a coming-of-age narrative. Set in 1999, it follows twelve-year-old Michael Rosario as he navigates life just before the turn of the millennium. When he meets Ridge, a teenager from the future, Michael is pulled into a journey that challenges his understanding of time, friendship, and self-discovery.

This novel has earned significant recognition, winning the 2025 John Newbery Medal and being a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award. Kelly skillfully captures the late-’90s atmosphere, complete with payphones, VHS tapes, and the looming Y2K panic. Reading it brought back memories of filling the bathtub with water—just in case the world shut down at midnight.

While I appreciated the nostalgic elements and Michael’s emotional depth, my mind always struggles to wrap around time travel in books & movies.  Despite that, Kelly’s storytelling and the novel’s themes make it a worthwhile read, earning 3.5 stars from me.

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