The points of issue
First printing carries a number line including 1 and states first impression on the copyright page; Philomel imprint; panel-format pastel and watercolor art; laminated boards with blue endpapers. True first jacket has no Caldecott seal.
Is this the true first?
The US Philomel 1989 edition is the true first; it won the 1990 Caldecott Medal, so the first-printing jacket predates the medal.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add the Caldecott seal to the jacket; book-club and reprint editions differ.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing carries a number line including 1 and states first impression on the copyright page; Philomel imprint; panel-format pastel and watercolor art; laminated boards with blue endpapers. True first jacket has no Caldecott seal.
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 Philomel 1989 edition is the true first; it won the 1990 Caldecott Medal, so the first-printing jacket predates the medal.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add the Caldecott seal to the jacket; book-club and reprint editions differ.
I have a first edition of Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China — 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.