The points of issue
First edition: Houghton Mifflin 1989; full number line ending in 1; first-issue dust jacket WITHOUT the Newbery Medal (won 1990), priced the printed price, with the Annemarie portrait on the front. No later-printing statement.
Is this the true first?
US Houghton Mifflin is the true first. The pre-Newbery jacket (no medal) plus the complete number line ending in 1 mark the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions add the Newbery Medal, drop the price, are smaller, and carry a board blind-stamp; later printings advance the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Number the Stars a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition: Houghton Mifflin 1989; full number line ending in 1; first-issue dust jacket WITHOUT the Newbery Medal (won 1990), priced the printed price, with the Annemarie portrait on the front. No later-printing statement.
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 Houghton Mifflin is the true first. The pre-Newbery jacket (no medal) plus the complete number line ending in 1 mark the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions add the Newbery Medal, drop the price, are smaller, and carry a board blind-stamp; later printings advance the number line.
I have a first edition of Number the Stars — 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.