The First State of Being

Classic middle-grade time-slip story — a lonely boy, a mysterious companion from another era, and questions about memory and loss that echo The First State of Being perfectly.

For readers asking "what are books like The First State of Being that use time travel to explore friendship and family?" Tom's Midnight Garden is the answer that stands the test of time. When Tom is sent to stay with his aunt and uncle, he discovers that the garden outside only exists at night — and in a different century. There he meets Hatty, a girl from the past, and the two form a bond that raises deep questions about time, change, and what it means to lose the people we love. The emotional architecture here is strikingly similar to Erin Entrada Kelly's novel: a young protagonist displaced from his normal life, an unlikely cross-time friendship, and a quiet mystery at the center that turns out to be about human connection rather than science fiction mechanics. A timeless pick for any fan of The First State of Being.

A mysterious stranger upends a boy's ordinary life — same mood of wonder laced with family anxiety and the healing power of unexpected friendship.

If the thing that hooked you in The First State of Being was a mysterious figure arriving in a young boy's life and changing everything, Skellig delivers that same electrical charge. Michael (notably, the same first name as Kelly's protagonist) discovers a strange, fragile creature living in his crumbling garage while his family is consumed by worry over a sick baby sister. The book shares The First State of Being's emotional DNA: a child carrying adult-sized anxiety who finds relief and meaning in a friendship that defies easy explanation. David Almond's prose is lyrical and spare, and the novel earns its wonder without relying on spectacle. Readers who loved the way Kelly balances the fantastical with genuine family warmth will find Skellig a natural companion — one of the best answers to the question "books like The First State of Being for middle-grade readers who love magical realism."

Multiple perspectives, a middle-schooler navigating belonging, and a story ultimately about kindness — strong thematic overlap with Kelly's treatment of friendship and found family.

Fans of The First State of Being who were drawn to Michael Rosario's journey toward trust and connection will feel immediately at home in Wonder. R. J. Palacio's bestselling novel follows Auggie Pullman, a boy with a facial difference entering middle school for the first time, told through the eyes of multiple characters whose lives intersect with his. Like The First State of Being, the plot mechanics (in this case, a school year rather than time travel) are really just scaffolding for a deeper exploration of empathy, friendship, family loyalty, and what it costs — and means — to let people in. Both books have become modern middle-grade touchstones for a reason: they take the emotional life of preteens seriously without being preachy. If you're searching for "books similar to The First State of Being about friendship and belonging," Wonder belongs at the top of that list.

An unexpected friendship transforms a lonely boy's world — emotionally bold, award-winning middle-grade fiction that asks big questions about loss, imagination, and who we become.

Readers who connected with the friendship at the heart of The First State of Being — the way an unlikely bond reshapes a young person's understanding of themselves and the world — will find Bridge to Terabithia one of the most resonant "books like The First State of Being" on any list. Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke create an imaginary kingdom together, and their friendship gives Jess a confidence and openness he never had before. Katherine Paterson's Newbery Medal winner doesn't use time travel, but it shares Kelly's core conviction: that the right friendship at the right moment can permanently alter who you are. The novel also doesn't shy away from grief and loss, giving it an emotional weight that older middle-grade readers — the same audience Kelly is writing for — are absolutely ready to handle. A classic that earns its place beside The First State of Being.