# Is "Esio Trot" by Roald Dahl a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Esio Trot by Roald Dahl (Jonathan Cape, 1990) is identified by: UK Cape first, dated 1990, identified by the standard Cape copyright statement (First published with the date, no later-printing line beneath). UK Cape true first; a US Viking edition also appeared in 1990.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Cape first, dated 1990, identified by the standard Cape copyright statement (First published with the date, no later-printing line beneath)
- Issued in a dust jacket carrying the original UK price
- Illustrated by Quentin Blake
- Publisher imprint reads Jonathan Cape
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Roald Dahl |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Year | 1990 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | UK Cape first, dated 1990, identified by the standard Cape copyright statement (First… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
UK Cape first, dated 1990, identified by the standard Cape copyright statement (First published with the date, no later-printing line beneath). Issued in a dust jacket carrying the original UK price. Illustrated by Quentin Blake.

## Is this the true first?
UK Cape true first; a US Viking edition also appeared in 1990. This was the last book published in Dahl's lifetime; he died in November 1990.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are later issues and lack the original priced first-issue jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Esio Trot* by Roald Dahl a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/esio-trot
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.