The points of issue
First Caldecott Medal winner (awarded 1938). Frederick A. Stokes Company imprint on the title page and spine; copyright 1937. A recognized first-issue point is the misspelling of the illustrator's surname as 'Lathop' (rather than 'Lathrop') on the spine of both the book and the dust jacket, corrected in later printings. Lathrop's lithograph illustrations throughout. Later reissues under the Lippincott imprint (Lippincott absorbed Stokes) are not the first.
Is this the true first?
US true first is the Stokes 1937 issue. Any Lippincott-imprint copy is a later printing, not the first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
First-issue jacket predates the 1938 award and bears no medal. Reprints carry the Caldecott seal on the jacket and, later, the Lippincott imprint.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Animals of the Bible, A Picture Book a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First Caldecott Medal winner (awarded 1938). Frederick A. Stokes Company imprint on the title page and spine; copyright 1937. A recognized first-issue point is the misspelling of the illustrator's surname as 'Lathop' (rather than 'Lathrop') on the spine of both the book and the dust jacket, corrected in later printings. Lathrop's lithograph illustrations throughout. Later reissues under the Lippincott imprint (Lippincott absorbed Stokes) are not the first.
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 true first is the Stokes 1937 issue. Any Lippincott-imprint copy is a later printing, not the first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
First-issue jacket predates the 1938 award and bears no medal. Reprints carry the Caldecott seal on the jacket and, later, the Lippincott imprint.
I have a first edition of Animals of the Bible, A Picture Book — 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.