The First State of Being

The First State of Being
Author	Erin Entrada Kelly
Language	English
Genre	Time travel
Publisher	Greenwillow
Publication date	2024
Publication place	United States
Pages	272
ISBN	9780063337312

The First State of Being is a 2024 children's time travel novel by Erin Entrada Kelly. Set in the lead-up to Y2K, it follows a young boy who discovers a strange teenager who claims to be from the future. Kelly earned the Newbery Medal in 2025 for the book, her second medal and her third recognition; it was also a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2024.^[1]^[2]

Summary

In 1999, 12-year-old Michael is preparing for Y2K when he meets the mysterious boy Ridge, an out-of-place teenager who dresses and speaks queerly and claims to be from the future. Incredulous, Michael changes his mind after Ridge accurately predicts an earthquake; Ridge has actually time-traveled backward from the year 2199 using a time machine invented by his mother and motivated by a dare from his siblings. Michael decides to help Ridge find his way back to the future by helping to locate the time machine.^[3]^[4]^[5]

References

^ "Association for Library Service to Children - Newbery Medal Winners & Honor Books, 1922 – Present" (PDF). ALA.org. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
^ "2024 National Book Awards Longlist for Young People's Literature". National Book Foundation. 2024.
^ Kelly, Erin Entrada (January 15, 2024). "The First State of Being". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
^ Quay, Alexandra (2024). "KELLY, Erin Entrada. The First State of Being". School Library Journal. 70 (2): 94. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
^ Quealy-Gainer, Kate (2024). "Review of The First State of Being, by Erin Entrada Kelly". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 77 (6): 218–219. doi:10.1353/bcc.2024.a917180. Retrieved December 12, 2025.

Awards

Preceded by

The Eyes and the Impossible

Newbery Medal recipient
2025

Succeeded by

N/A

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[award-1] "Association for Library Service to Children - Newbery Medal Winners & Honor Books, 1922 – Present" (PDF). ALA.org. Retrieved December 7, 2025.

[2] "2024 National Book Awards Longlist for Young People's Literature". National Book Foundation. 2024.

[3] Kelly, Erin Entrada (January 15, 2024). "The First State of Being". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved December 13, 2025.

[4] Quay, Alexandra (2024). "KELLY, Erin Entrada. The First State of Being". School Library Journal. 70 (2): 94. Retrieved December 13, 2025.

[5] Quealy-Gainer, Kate (2024). "Review of The First State of Being, by Erin Entrada Kelly". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 77 (6): 218–219. doi:10.1353/bcc.2024.a917180. Retrieved December 12, 2025.

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v t e Newbery Medal
1922–1925	The Story of Mankind (1922) The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (1923) The Dark Frigate (1924) Tales from Silver Lands (1925)
1926–1950	Shen of the Sea (1926) Smoky the Cowhorse (1927) Gay Neck, the Story of a Pigeon (1928) The Trumpeter of Krakow (1929) Hitty, Her First Hundred Years (1930) The Cat Who Went to Heaven (1931) Waterless Mountain (1932) Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze (1933) Invincible Louisa (1934) Dobry (1935) Caddie Woodlawn (1936) Roller Skates (1937) The White Stag (1938) Thimble Summer (1939) Daniel Boone (1940) Call It Courage (1941) The Matchlock Gun (1942) Adam of the Road (1943) Johnny Tremain (1944) Rabbit Hill (1945) Strawberry Girl (1946) Miss Hickory (1947) The Twenty-One Balloons (1948) King of the Wind (1949) The Door in the Wall (1950)
1951–1975	Amos Fortune, Free Man (1951) Ginger Pye (1952) Secret of the Andes (1953) ...And Now Miguel (1954) The Wheel on the School (1955) Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (1956) Miracles on Maple Hill (1957) Rifles for Watie (1958) The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1959) Onion John (1960) Island of the Blue Dolphins (1961) The Bronze Bow (1962) A Wrinkle in Time (1963) It's Like This, Cat (1964) Shadow of a Bull (1965) I, Juan de Pareja (1966) Up a Road Slowly (1967) From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1968) The High King (1969) Sounder (1970) Summer of the Swans (1971) Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1972) Julie of the Wolves (1973) The Slave Dancer (1974) M. C. Higgins, the Great (1975)
1976–2000	The Grey King (1976) Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1977) Bridge to Terabithia (1978) The Westing Game (1979) A Gathering of Days (1980) Jacob Have I Loved (1981) A Visit to William Blake's Inn (1982) Dicey's Song (1983) Dear Mr. Henshaw (1984) The Hero and the Crown (1985) Sarah, Plain and Tall (1986) The Whipping Boy (1987) Lincoln (1988) Joyful Noise (1989) Number the Stars (1990) Maniac Magee (1991) Shiloh (1992) Missing May (1993) The Giver (1994) Walk Two Moons (1995) The Midwife's Apprentice (1996) The View from Saturday (1997) Out of the Dust (1998) Holes (1999) Bud, Not Buddy (2000)
2001–present	A Year Down Yonder (2001) A Single Shard (2002) Crispin (2003) The Tale of Despereaux (2004) Kira-Kira (2005) Criss Cross (2006) The Higher Power of Lucky (2007) Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! (2008) The Graveyard Book (2009) When You Reach Me (2010) Moon Over Manifest (2011) Dead End in Norvelt (2012) The One and Only Ivan (2013) Flora & Ulysses (2014) The Crossover (2015) Last Stop on Market Street (2016) The Girl Who Drank the Moon (2017) Hello, Universe (2018) Merci Suárez Changes Gears (2019) New Kid (2020) When You Trap a Tiger (2021) The Last Cuentista (2022) Freewater (2023) The Eyes and the Impossible (2024) The First State of Being (2025)