The First State of Being

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.