The points of issue
First printing has a complete number line running down to 1 on the copyright page; imprint stated as Atheneum / Richard Jackson Books (a Simon & Schuster imprint); oversize landscape picture-book format. The true-first jacket carries no Caldecott Medal or Sibert Honor seal, both awarded in 2014.
Is this the true first?
The US Atheneum / Richard Jackson Books hardcover of 2013 is the true first edition; it won the 2014 Caldecott Medal and was a 2014 Sibert Honor book. The first-printing jacket predates those seals.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add the Caldecott Medal seal to the jacket. Book-club issues differ in trim, board, and pricing and lack the complete first-printing number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Locomotive a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has a complete number line running down to 1 on the copyright page; imprint stated as Atheneum / Richard Jackson Books (a Simon & Schuster imprint); oversize landscape picture-book format. The true-first jacket carries no Caldecott Medal or Sibert Honor seal, both awarded in 2014.
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 Atheneum / Richard Jackson Books hardcover of 2013 is the true first edition; it won the 2014 Caldecott Medal and was a 2014 Sibert Honor book. The first-printing jacket predates those seals.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add the Caldecott Medal seal to the jacket. Book-club issues differ in trim, board, and pricing and lack the complete first-printing number line.
I have a first edition of Locomotive — 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.