Beverly Cleary First Editions

• Henry Huggins — 1950 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow US first, Cleary's first book. Early Morrow titles predate number lines, so identify by a 1950 copyright date with no additional-printing statement on the copyright page, plus the first-issue jacket bearing the original printed price. Red cloth boards with a black illustration of Henry carrying Ribsy in a box; illustrated by Louis Darling. US Morrow first edition is the true first; Cleary's debut. For early-1950s Morrow titles use date-match plus absence of a later-printing notation rather than a number line; note this is not foolproof, so a jacket in a matching first-issue state strengthens the identification. Book-club editions are unpriced, may show a book-club blind stamp on the rear board, and are on cheaper stock; later trade printings add a printing statement (for example 'second printing') to the copyright page.
• Ellen Tebbits — 1951 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow US first, Cleary's second book. Identify by a 1951 copyright date with no additional-printing statement on the copyright page, plus the first-issue jacket with the original printed price on the front flap. Full yellow cloth with a girl's portrait in red and black on the front board; illustrated by Louis Darling. US Morrow first edition is the true first. Use date-match plus absence of a later-printing notation rather than a number line for this early-1950s Morrow title. Book-club editions are unpriced and on cheaper stock; later trade printings add a printing statement to the copyright page.
• Henry and Beezus — 1952 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow US first. Identify by a 1952 date on the title and copyright pages with no additional-printing statement, plus the first-issue jacket with the original printed price on the front flap. Red cloth boards with a black illustration of Henry in a coonskin cap on his bike; illustrated by Louis Darling. US Morrow first edition is the true first. Use date-match plus absence of a later-printing notation rather than a number line for this early-1950s Morrow title. Book-club editions are unpriced and on cheaper stock; later trade printings add a printing statement to the copyright page.
• Otis Spofford — 1953 · William MorrowMorrow first edition, 1953, 191 pages, in full blue cloth, illustrated by Louis Darling; the first printing carries the 1953 date with no added statement of a later printing, and the first-issue dust jacket bears the original printed price on the front flap. US William Morrow first edition; no precedence question. Book-club and later printings lack the original jacket price and may carry an added printing statement.
• Henry and Ribsy — 1954 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first edition dated 1954 on the title page with no statement of a later printing on the copyright page; illustrated throughout by Louis Darling, whose pictorial dust-jacket art depicts Henry and his dog Ribsy. Issued in publisher's cloth over an octavo binding; the first-issue jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap and is not clipped. Third book in the Henry Huggins series. US William Morrow first edition (1954) is the true first. Book-club printings and later trade impressions lack the original printed jacket price and typically show reset or reduced-height boards; only the price-present, printing-statement-free jacketed Morrow copy is the 1954 first.
• Beezus and Ramona — 1955 · William MorrowMorrow first dated 1955 with no statement of later printing; yellow boards with a blue cover illustration and blue spine lettering; illustrated by Louis Darling; first-issue dust jacket carries the original price. First book centered on the Quimby sisters, with Ramona as a lead character. US Morrow first edition. Book-club and later printings lack the original jacket price.
• Fifteen — 1956 · William MorrowMorrow first edition, an octavo of 254 pages, bound in the publisher's pink cloth with black decoration and lettering on the spine and boards. The title page and copyright page both carry the 1956 date with no statement of a later printing. The first-issue dust jacket bears the illustration by Beth and Joe Krush and carries the original printed price on the front flap; the price should be present, though a…. US Morrow first edition, New York, 1956; no earlier or precedent edition. Book-club and later Morrow printings lack the original printed jacket price and typically show reprint indications rather than the clean 1956-dated copyright page.
• Henry and the Paper Route — 1957 · William MorrowMorrow first edition, published June 1957 and dated 1957 on the title page with no statement of a later printing; illustrated throughout by Louis Darling, whose line drawings appear in the first-edition text. The first-issue dust jacket carries the original printed price and Darling's cover art. Fourth book in the Henry Huggins series. US William Morrow first edition (June 1957) is the true first. Book-club and later trade printings lack the original printed jacket price; later reprints also carry printing statements or revised jacket art.
• The Luckiest Girl — 1958 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first edition dated 1958 on the title page, with no statement of a later printing. Morrow firsts of this period carry the year on the title page and no additional printing line; the first-issue dust jacket carries the original publisher's price printed on the upper corner of the front flap, which should be present and unclipped on a first-state jacket. A young-adult novel. US William Morrow (New York) first edition is the true first. Book-club editions and later printings are the common confusion; club copies typically lack the printed jacket price on the front flap and omit first-printing indicators, and some later hardcover states name a different jacket artist.
• Jean and Johnny — 1959 · William MorrowMorrow first dated 1959 on the copyright page with no additional-printing statement; first-issue dust jacket carries the original printed price (not clipped). Young-adult novel illustrated by Joe and Beth Krush. US William Morrow first edition. Book-club and library-reprint editions lack the original jacket price.
• Hullabaloo ABC — 1960 · Parnassus PressParnassus Press (Berkeley) first edition, with 1960 printed at the foot of the title page and no separate copyright page; the absence of any later-printing statement is the point. Issued in original lime-green cloth boards lettered in black, first-issue in the original priced dust jacket. A small quarto illustrated by Earl Thollander. US Parnassus Press first edition, illustrated by Earl Thollander — not the later Morrow edition, which reset the book and was re-illustrated by Ted Rand (ISBN 0688151825), a wholly different and later production. Book-club editions lack the original jacket price; the Morrow reissue is a later edition, not a first.
• Emily's Runaway Imagination — 1961 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first printing, with 1961 on both the title page and copyright page and no additional-printing or later-edition statement. Bound in pink cloth stamped in black, with a Model T motor-car image to the front cover. Illustrated by Joe and Beth Krush. The scarce first-issue dust jacket carries the original printed price. US William Morrow first edition. Book-club editions lack the original jacket price.
• Henry and the Clubhouse — 1962 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first edition, dated 1962 on the copyright page with no additional-printing statement, illustrated by Louis Darling. Approximately 192 pages, measuring about 5 the printed price by 8 the printed price inches. Fifth title in the Henry Huggins series. The first-issue dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap. US William Morrow first edition, the true first appearance of the title. Book-club editions (including Weekly Reader Children's Book Club issues) lack the original printed jacket price and are typically thinner-papered; verify the priced first-issue Morrow jacket.
• Sister of the Bride — 1963 · William MorrowMorrow first edition dated 1963 on the copyright page with no additional-printing statement. The young-adult novel is illustrated by Beth and Joe Krush, whose credited line-drawings run through the text; it is issued as a hardcover in cloth-covered boards. The first-issue dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap. US William Morrow first edition; the Krush-illustrated Morrow hardcover is the priority issue. Book-club editions and later Morrow printings lack the original printed jacket price; the first jacket should retain the printed price on the front flap.
• Ribsy — 1964 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first edition, dated 1964 on the copyright page with no additional-printing statement, illustrated by Louis Darling. Approximately 192 pages. The first-issue dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap. US William Morrow first edition, the true first appearance of the title. Book-club editions, including Weekly Reader Children's Book Club issues, lack the original printed jacket price; verify the priced first-issue Morrow jacket rather than a later library or club binding.
• The Mouse and the Motorcycle — 1965 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first edition, published 1965, with the copyright page bearing no statement of a later printing or additional impressions. Illustrated by Louis Darling. First-issue dust jacket carries the original front-flap price and is not price-clipped. The US William Morrow edition of 1965 is the true first. Weekly Reader and other book-club editions are unpriced and typically lack the Morrow dust jacket points; some show a book-club blind stamp to the rear board.
• Mitch and Amy — 1967 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first edition, published 1967, with the copyright page showing no statement of a later printing. Illustrated by George Porter. First-issue dust jacket retains the original front-flap price. The US William Morrow edition of 1967 is the true first. Book-club editions are unpriced and lack the Morrow first-printing dust jacket points.
• Ramona the Pest — 1968 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first edition, published 1968, with the copyright page bearing no statement of a later printing. First book to star Ramona Quimby. Illustrated by Louis Darling. First-issue dust jacket carries the original front-flap price. The US William Morrow edition of 1968 is the true first. Book-club editions are unpriced; later book-club printings are commonly encountered and should not be mistaken for the first.
• Runaway Ralph — 1970 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first edition, published 1970, with the copyright page showing no statement of a later printing. Sequel to The Mouse and the Motorcycle. Illustrated by Louis Darling, the last Cleary title he illustrated before his death. First-issue dust jacket retains the original front-flap price. The US William Morrow edition of 1970 is the true first. Book-club editions are unpriced and lack the Morrow first-printing dust jacket points.
• Socks — 1973 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first edition, published 1973, with the copyright page bearing no statement of a later printing. Illustrated by Beatrice Darwin. First edition in dark gold boards with Socks outlined in black to the front board; first-issue dust jacket retains the original front-flap price. The US William Morrow edition of 1973 is the true first. Weekly Reader and other book-club editions are unpriced and lack the Morrow first-printing dust jacket points.
• Ramona the Brave — 1975 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first edition, published 1975, with the copyright page showing no statement of a later printing. Illustrated by Alan Tiegreen. First-issue dust jacket retains the original front-flap price. The US William Morrow edition of 1975 is the true first; a UK Hamish Hamilton edition also appeared and is a separate first for that market. Book-club editions are unpriced and lack the Morrow first-printing dust jacket points.
• Ramona and Her Father — 1977 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first, dated 1977 on the title page, with a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. First-issue dust jacket carries the original printed price and, on the earliest state, no Newbery Honor seal. A Newbery Honor book for 1978. US Morrow edition is the true first. The first-state jacket predates the Newbery Honor seal, which was added to later jacket printings. Book-club editions typically lack the printed jacket price and a complete number line; later trade jackets add the Honor seal.
• Ramona and Her Mother — 1979 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first printing, dated 1979, with a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. Bound in yellow cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, with tan endpapers. Illustrated by Alan Tiegreen. The first-issue dust jacket carries the original printed price. US Morrow edition is the true first. Book-club editions typically lack the printed jacket price and a complete number line. Note that Morrow in this period sometimes left a 'First Edition' statement on later printings, so the number line ending in 1 is the reliable point.
• Ramona Quimby, Age 8 — 1981 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first with a full number line 1-10 on the copyright page and the original printed price on the first-issue pictorial dust jacket. Bound in a beige/tan cloth spine over orange pictorial paper-covered boards, stamped in black, with tan endpapers. Illustrated by Alan Tiegreen, whose art is itself a first-edition point (later reissues were re-illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers and Tracy Dockray). A…. The US Morrow edition is the true first; the first-state jacket predates the Newbery Honor seal, and the presence of Alan Tiegreen's original illustrations confirms an early printing. Book-club editions typically lack the printed jacket price and the full number line, and are re-illustrated or reset in later reissues.
• The Ralph S. Mouse — 1982 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first printing identified by a complete number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page. Bound in quarter blue cloth over pale green paper boards with gilt spine lettering and blue endpapers; issued in a first-issue pictorial dust jacket that should retain its original printed front-flap price. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky; the third book in the Ralph the Mouse series. US Morrow edition is the true first. Note the actual title is 'Ralph S. Mouse' (no leading 'The'). Weekly Reader and other book-club editions typically lack the printed jacket price and the full 1-through-10 number line; the Weekly Reader issue is a common later tell.
• Dear Mr. Henshaw — 1983 · William Morrow / Morrow Junior BooksFirst edition published 1983 by William Morrow (Morrow Junior Books), New York. First printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page AND carries a complete number line ending in 1; the number line is the decisive point. White cloth spine lettered in dark blue over blue boards. Illustrations by Paul O. Zelinsky. First-state dust jacket without the Newbery seal. US true first. Newbery Medal 1984. Morrow in this era frequently left the 'First Edition' statement on later printings, so a present 'First Edition' line alone does not confirm a first printing — verify the number line includes 1. Book-club editions are unpriced; post-award jackets add the seal.
• Ramona Forever — 1984 · William MorrowWilliam Morrow first with a number line descending to 1 on the copyright page and the original printed price present on the first-issue dust jacket. Bound in publisher's original orange paper-covered boards over a yellow cloth spine lettered in black, illustrated by Alan Tiegreen; the seventh Ramona book. US Morrow edition is the true first. Book-club editions typically lack the printed jacket price and are often bound in full cloth or boards without the trade binding's cloth-and-paper combination; confirm the copyright-page number line descends to 1.
• Muggie Maggie — 1990 · Morrow Junior BooksMorrow Junior Books first edition, illustrated by Kay Life. Complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; red cloth binding stamped in gold with purple endpapers; first-issue dust jacket carrying the original printed price. US Morrow Junior Books first edition, 1990. Book-club editions and later printings lack the number line ending in 1 and the original jacket price.
• Strider — 1991 · Morrow Junior BooksFirst published by Morrow Junior Books (a Morrow imprint), 1991, with a full number line 1-10 and the words 'First Edition 1991' on the copyright page, plus the original printed price on the first-issue dust jacket. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky; sequel to Dear Mr. Henshaw. US Morrow Junior Books edition is the true first. Book-club editions typically lack the printed jacket price and the full number line.
• Ramona's World — 1999 · Morrow Junior BooksMorrow Junior Books first edition, illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers. Complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket with the original printed price. Final book in the Ramona series. US Morrow Junior Books first edition, 1999. This was the last Ramona title. Later HarperCollins and Joanna Cotler Books reissues, book-club printings, and paperbacks are not the 1999 first; the true first carries the Morrow Junior Books imprint and the original jacket price.

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