The points of issue
First printing carries the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1; Scholastic Press imprint; thick illustrated novel in words and pictures. True first jacket has no Caldecott seal.
Is this the true first?
The US Scholastic Press 2007 edition is the true first. It was the first novel to win the Caldecott Medal (2008), so the first-printing jacket predates the medal.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add the Caldecott seal; book-club issues differ in binding and lack the full number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Invention of Hugo Cabret a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing carries the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1; Scholastic Press imprint; thick illustrated novel in words and pictures. True first jacket has no Caldecott seal.
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. The US Scholastic Press 2007 edition is the true first. It was the first novel to win the Caldecott Medal (2008), so the first-printing jacket predates the medal.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add the Caldecott seal; book-club issues differ in binding and lack the full number line.
I have a first edition of The Invention of Hugo Cabret — 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.