The points of issue
First printing with a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; Scholastic Press imprint stated; original price on the jacket flap; the first-printing jacket carries NO Pura Belpré seal (the award postdates the first printing).
Is this the true first?
The US Scholastic Press 2000 hardcover is the true first. It won the Pura Belpré Author Award in the 2002 cycle (the award was then biennial), so the true-first jacket predates the medal.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Scholastic book-club and classroom paperbacks are not firsts and lack the hardcover number line; later reprints add the Belpré seal to the jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Esperanza Rising a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing with a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; Scholastic Press imprint stated; original price on the jacket flap; the first-printing jacket carries NO Pura Belpré seal (the award postdates the first printing).
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 Scholastic Press 2000 hardcover is the true first. It won the Pura Belpré Author Award in the 2002 cycle (the award was then biennial), so the true-first jacket predates the medal.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Scholastic book-club and classroom paperbacks are not firsts and lack the hardcover number line; later reprints add the Belpré seal to the jacket.
I have a first edition of Esperanza Rising — 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.