When Tomorrow Burns
Tae Keller
273 pages · Released Mar 3, 2026 · Random House
Content report card
What's inside
Violence
Fighting, weapons, death
Language
Swearing, crude humor
Sexual content
Romance intensity, nudity
LGBTQ+ themes
Presence of characters or themes
Scary or mature
Horror, trauma, heavy themes
Substance use
Alcohol, drugs, smoking
What it offers
Positive messages
Kindness, courage, honesty, resilience
Positive role models
Characters who model good judgment and growth
Educational value
History, science, culture, how the world works
A note for parents
This middle-grade novel by a Newbery Medal winner explores friendship, trust, and growing up through the lens of a magical prophecy and real-world wildfires affecting Seattle. While there are themes of secrets, broken friendships, and environmental danger (wildfires), the content is age-appropriate for mature middle schoolers who can handle emotional complexity and some anxiety-inducing scenarios. The story emphasizes positive values like honesty, reconciliation, and courage, with characters learning to face uncertainty together and make good choices about who they want to be.
Analyzed by AI · 18 hours ago
From the publisher
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Three middle school students embark on a quest to find a book that may just save their lives in this spectacular novel about fate and friendship--from the Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Trap a Tiger. "Another unforgettable novel from one of my favorite authors. I loved Nomi, Arthur... NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Three middle school students embark on a quest to find a book that may just save their lives in this spectacular novel about fate and friendship--from the Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Trap a Tiger. "Another unforgettable novel from one of my favorite authors. I loved Nomi, Arthur, and Vi. I have a prophecy that readers will love them, too."—Erin Entrada Kelly, two-time Newbery Medalist and National Book Award finalist Once there was a tree. For two hundred years, there was a tree. There was a tree. There was a tree. Until the tree fell in a forest--and then there was a book. When best friends Nomi, Vi, and Arthur were younger, they discovered a book of prophecies. It was so very comforting to know what was coming. But as the kids grew older, they forgot about the book. Until the final prophecy started coming true. Now, as seventh grade tests their friendship and wildfires threaten Seattle, the final prophecy promises fire and destruction. Nomi tries everything to prevent calamity. The only problem? She needs help...but Vi's acting strange and Arthur stopped talking to her. Vi can't tell Nomi, but she's been texting the coolest boy in school, and it's going well--until that boy makes an unexpected request, and she must decide who she wants to be. Meanwhile, Arthur joined the cross-country team, but he can't outrun the real reason he ended his friendship with Nomi. The best he can do is try to hide it. As the prophecy escalates, past and present intersect, fate and friendship collide, and secrets spread like wildfire. Together, Nomi, Vi, and Arthur must face the future...even, and especially when it's so uncertain.
Shelved under
- Juvenile Fiction
Share this guide
ISBN 9780593485583 · Random House