The points of issue
First printing has a number line counting down to 1; Little, Brown imprint; Bryan Collier collage and watercolor art; true-first jacket bears NO Caldecott Honor or Coretta Scott King seal, as those were awarded in 2011.
Is this the true first?
The US Little, Brown edition of 2010 is the true first. In 2011 it was named a Caldecott Honor Book, and Bryan Collier won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, so the true-first jacket predates the seals.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add the Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King seals; book-club editions differ.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has a number line counting down to 1; Little, Brown imprint; Bryan Collier collage and watercolor art; true-first jacket bears NO Caldecott Honor or Coretta Scott King seal, as those were awarded in 2011.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The US Little, Brown edition of 2010 is the true first. In 2011 it was named a Caldecott Honor Book, and Bryan Collier won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, so the true-first jacket predates the seals.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add the Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King seals; book-club editions differ.
I have a first edition of Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.