asianamlitfans | A Review of Erin Entrada Kelly’s First State of Being (Greenwillow, 2024) (Reply)

Written by Stephen Hong Sohn
Edited by Uttara Rangarajan

I haven’t read something in the middle grade arena for awhile, and I was compelled to because Erin Entrada Kelly, a Fil Am writer, just won the Newberry Medal for First State of Being (Greenwillow 2024). I remember I would always consider reading the Newberry Medal winner as a kid, and there are definitely some standouts for me. Growing up, one of my absolute favorites was Dear Mr. Henshaw, and one of my all time favorite novels of any genre, any period, any age group is Madeleine L’engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. It’s the latter book that First State of Being sort of reminds me of. With that teaser in mind, let’s turn to the marketing description: “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 sixteen-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.”

So, I’m actually going to start with my critiques: I actually wanted way more science fiction! When I think back to L’engle’s novel, she didn’t shy away from the sci-fi aspects of that text, especially when explaining the folds in time and space that allow for travel to distant points to occur (quicker than the speed of light). The second critique I have stems from the ending, so I’ll provide you with my spoiler warning now (as per usual). I’ll assume you looked away or that you’re still reading because you have already read the novel and just want to hear what I have to say about it. The conclusion sees Ridge going back home to his time period, some point way far into the future, but we don’t find out about the outcome of his experiment nor do we know too much about the cultures of the future as envisioned by Kelly. I do think a detailed epilogue or perhaps an appendix of what life in the future is like might have been really interesting. But beyond these quibbles, I can understand why this book received the medal. The ones that win this award have a lot of heart, and this novel has it in spades. It first develops it in the way that Gibby takes care of Michael, even though they live in an area that is not necessarily the most affluent. The relationship that Michael has with his very hard-working mother is also a high point, where we can absolutely see that despite some of the challenges of growing up where he is, he can look up to a mother who understands and prioritizes what is best for him. And then there’s some of the people who live in the same apartment complex: Michael develops some key friendships there that help him transition into being a more sophisticated human being, something that will also enable him to support Ridge, as they all figure out a way for Ridge to return to his time period. It's a heartwarming novel, one that does not shy away from all the challenges that come with growing up as an adolescent in the 1990s. And, I can definitely relate.

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