The points of issue
First printing with a complete number line descending to 1 on the copyright page; pictorial boards in the photo-illustrated screenplay format; original price on the jacket flap; the first-printing jacket carries NO Printz seal (the first Printz was awarded in 2000).
Is this the true first?
The US HarperCollins 1999 hardcover is the true first — the inaugural Michael L. Printz Award winner and a Coretta Scott King Honor. Note the imprint on the true first is HarperCollins, not Amistad.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add the Printz medal to the jacket and drop the '1' from the number line. The Amistad-imprint paperback is a later reissue, not a first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Monster a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing with a complete number line descending to 1 on the copyright page; pictorial boards in the photo-illustrated screenplay format; original price on the jacket flap; the first-printing jacket carries NO Printz seal (the first Printz was awarded in 2000).
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 HarperCollins 1999 hardcover is the true first — the inaugural Michael L. Printz Award winner and a Coretta Scott King Honor. Note the imprint on the true first is HarperCollins, not Amistad.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add the Printz medal to the jacket and drop the '1' from the number line. The Amistad-imprint paperback is a later reissue, not a first.
I have a first edition of Monster — 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.