The points of issue
First edition: FSG (Frances Foster Books) 1998; full number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket WITHOUT the Newbery Medal (won 1999), priced the printed price.
Is this the true first?
US FSG is the true first. The pre-Newbery jacket (no gold medal) plus the complete number line ending in 1 mark the true first printing; later jackets add the Newbery Medal.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the number line/price and add the Newbery Medal to the jacket; club copies are smaller with a board blind-stamp.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Holes a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition: FSG (Frances Foster Books) 1998; full number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket WITHOUT the Newbery Medal (won 1999), priced the printed price.
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. US FSG is the true first. The pre-Newbery jacket (no gold medal) plus the complete number line ending in 1 mark the true first printing; later jackets add the Newbery Medal.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the number line/price and add the Newbery Medal to the jacket; club copies are smaller with a board blind-stamp.
I have a first edition of Holes — 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.