The points of issue
Copyright page carries the number line "1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2." Cream paper boards with yellow cloth spine and gold spine lettering. First-state color pictorial jacket (Ellen Granter illustration) carries author review blurbs on the rear panel and LACKS any bestseller or deluxe-edition band.
Is this the true first?
US Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam is the true first (February 2009); the "Amy Einhorn Books" imprint line should be present (ISBN 9780399155345). The UK Fig Tree/Penguin edition followed. A debut novel; signed firsts are sought.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition issue here; later printings drop the 1 from the number line and add bestseller slugs to the jacket. The earliest-issue rear panel without bestseller banding confirms the first printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Help a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page carries the number line "1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2." Cream paper boards with yellow cloth spine and gold spine lettering. First-state color pictorial jacket (Ellen Granter illustration) carries author review blurbs on the rear panel and LACKS any bestseller or deluxe-edition band.
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 Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam is the true first (February 2009); the "Amy Einhorn Books" imprint line should be present (ISBN 9780399155345). The UK Fig Tree/Penguin edition followed. A debut novel; signed firsts are sought.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition issue here; later printings drop the 1 from the number line and add bestseller slugs to the jacket. The earliest-issue rear panel without bestseller banding confirms the first printing.
I have a first edition of The Help — 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.