# Is "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" by Suzanne Collins a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press, 2020) is identified by: Copyright page carries the complete printing number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) together with a 'First edition' statement; Scholastic Press imprint; ISBN 978-1-338-63517-1; green boards with cover illustration and gilt spine lettering; 528 pages. US Scholastic Press hardcover is the true first, published May 19, 2020.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page carries the complete printing number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) together with a 'First edition' statement
- Scholastic Press imprint
- ISBN 978-1-338-63517-1; green boards with cover illustration and gilt spine lettering
- 528 pages
- The lowest number in the line
- marks the first printing
- Publisher imprint reads Scholastic Press

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Suzanne Collins |
| Publisher | Scholastic Press |
| Year | 2020 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | Copyright page carries the complete printing number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Copyright page carries the complete printing number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) together with a 'First edition' statement; Scholastic Press imprint; ISBN 978-1-338-63517-1; green boards with cover illustration and gilt spine lettering; 528 pages. The lowest number in the line (1) marks the first printing. Hunger Games prequel.

## Is this the true first?
US Scholastic Press hardcover is the true first, published May 19, 2020. Very large first printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings drop the 1 and advance the number line. A collector's edition, paperback, and film tie-in editions exist and are not the first printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes* by Suzanne Collins a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-ballad-of-songbirds-and-snakes
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.