# Is "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi (Hyperion Books for Children, 2002) is identified by: First edition 2002, Hyperion Books for Children (New York). US true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition 2002, Hyperion Books for Children (New York)
- First printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line ending in 1
- Pictorial boards; first-state dust jacket has a round die-cut cutout on the front showing Crispin's face and carries no Newbery medal seal
- Publisher imprint reads Hyperion Books for Children
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Avi |
| Publisher | Hyperion Books for Children |
| Year | 2002 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First edition 2002, Hyperion Books for Children (New York) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition 2002, Hyperion Books for Children (New York). First printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line ending in 1. Pictorial boards; first-state dust jacket has a round die-cut cutout on the front showing Crispin's face and carries no Newbery medal seal.

## Is this the true first?
US true first edition. Newbery Medal awarded 2003.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A number line not ending in 1 (e.g. beginning with a higher digit) indicates a later printing even where 'First Edition' is still printed; post-award jackets add the Newbery seal; book-club editions lack a price on the flap.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Crispin: The Cross of Lead* by Avi a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/crispin-the-cross-of-lead
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.