When Tomorrow Burns
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.
Coming soon: March 3, 2026
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Cover artist: Cornelia Li
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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.
⭐️ "A complex, carefully woven exploration of fate, autonomy, power, privilege, identity, and friendship. As beautiful and intricate as the rings of an ancient tree."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
⭐️ "[Keller] elegantly and movingly captures that fleeting and transformative period of the tween years . . . This is a beautiful testament to interdependence and resilience."
—The Horn Book, starred review
"Threading a grounded story following three tweens on the precipice of change with adroit musings about climate disaster, misogyny, and the cyclical patterns of history, Keller delivers a moving, clear-eyed exhortation on the necessity of community."
—Publishers Weekly
“Captivatingly thoughtful, utterly unforgettable, and singularly brilliant . . . I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I read it.”
—Jasmine Warga, #1 NYT bestselling and Newbery Honor–winning author
“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
“In our uncertain world, Tae Keller’s tender and powerful novel explores the impact of stories, friendship, and ultimately, hope.”
—Lisa Yee, Newbery Honoree and National Book Award finalist
“Wow . . . Keller’s writing brims with empathy and compassion as her characters endure excruciating embarrassments, messy friendships, and the myriad complications of growing up in the twenty-first century. A story as lovely as the mystery woven throughout it, When Tomorrow Burns will be a spark in the dark for young readers everywhere.”
—Megan E. Freeman, New York Times bestselling author
“When Tomorrow Burns is for anyone who’s ever sensed a whisper of magic in a tree, a book, a friendship—or anyone who wants to. I loved it.”
—Elana K. Arnold, National Book Award finalist and Printz Honor–winning author