Keller, Tae. When Tomorrow Burns. Random House, 03/2026. 272pp. Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-0-593-48558-3. GRADES 5–8. OUTSTANDING.
Newbery winner Tae Keller pens a superb novel examining both literal and figurative fires burning in the lives of seventh graders Nomi, Vi, and Arthur. As the outskirts of Seattle burn, the characters investigate the origins of a mysterious book of prophecies while navigating the complexities of friendship, crushes, poverty, social media, and identity. Each narrator has a distinct voice, with Keller utilizing a Greek chorus of trees as omniscient narrator connecting the lives of Seattle residents, past and present, with the city’s unique history. A storyline about a semi-nude photo pushes the audience level to the older end of middle grade. Vi is biracial Korean and white; Nomi and Arthur are white. Minor characters are diverse, including Asian immigrants, Black, LGBTQ, and Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. This is a gem.
Kelly Pollard—Alameda County Library