# Is "Silent to the Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Silent to the Bone by E.L. Konigsburg (Atheneum / Jean Karl Books, 2000) is identified by: Atheneum (A Jean Karl Book) US first. US Atheneum first edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Atheneum (A Jean Karl Book) US first
- Full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; first-issue jacket with the original printed price on the front flap
- Blue spine over red boards under the illustrated jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Atheneum / Jean Karl Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | E.L. Konigsburg |
| Publisher | Atheneum / Jean Karl Books |
| Year | 2000 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | Atheneum (A Jean Karl Book) US first |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Atheneum (A Jean Karl Book) US first. Full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; first-issue jacket with the original printed price on the front flap. Blue spine over red boards under the illustrated jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US Atheneum first edition is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are unpriced and typically lack the complete number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Silent to the Bone* by E.L. Konigsburg a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/silent-to-the-bone
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.