# Is "Out of the Dust" by Karen Hesse a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (Scholastic Press, 1997) is identified by: First edition 1997, Scholastic Press, New York. US true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition 1997, Scholastic Press, New York
- The first printing carries a complete number line ending in 1 and a 'First edition' statement on the copyright page; copyright 1997
- Pictorial boards in a first-state dust jacket without the Newbery Medal seal
- Publisher imprint reads Scholastic Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Karen Hesse |
| Publisher | Scholastic Press |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First edition 1997, Scholastic Press, New York |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition 1997, Scholastic Press, New York. The first printing carries a complete number line ending in 1 and a 'First edition' statement on the copyright page; copyright 1997. Pictorial boards in a first-state dust jacket without the Newbery Medal seal.

## Is this the true first?
US true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1998. Written as a verse novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A number line not ending in 1 indicates a later printing. Scholastic book-club issues differ in binding and pricing, and post-award jackets add the Newbery Medal seal.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Out of the Dust* by Karen Hesse a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/out-of-the-dust
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.