# Is "The Beet Queen" by Louise Erdrich a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Beet Queen by Louise Erdrich (Henry Holt and Company, 1986) is identified by: Copyright page states First Edition with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1; 338 pages. The US Henry Holt hardcover is the true first; UK and other editions follow.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states First Edition with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
- 338 pages
- Bound in ivory/white boards with a green cloth spine and gilt spine lettering
- Interior illustration credited to Leslie Evans on the copyright page; the dust jacket design and illustration are credited to Wendell Minor, and the first-issue jacket carries the printed retail price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Henry Holt and Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louise Erdrich |
| Publisher | Henry Holt and Company |
| Year | 1986 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states First Edition with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states First Edition with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1; 338 pages. Bound in ivory/white boards with a green cloth spine and gilt spine lettering. Interior illustration credited to Leslie Evans on the copyright page; the dust jacket design and illustration are credited to Wendell Minor, and the first-issue jacket carries the printed retail price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Henry Holt hardcover is the true first; UK and other editions follow.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition; later mass-market reprints appear under paperback imprints with different pagination and ISBN. Confirm the stated First Edition with the full 10-to-1 number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Beet Queen* by Louise Erdrich a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-beet-queen
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.