The points of issue
Title is properly 'The Big Snow.' Macmillan imprint with the title page dated 1948; note the 1948 date alone does not prove a first printing. The first-printing dust jacket carries no Caldecott Medal emblem on the front panel (the medal was awarded in 1949) and the rear flap advertises only earlier Hader titles.
Is this the true first?
The US true first is the 1948 Macmillan issue. Identification rests on the dust jacket rather than the text block, since the title page is dated 1948 across printings.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add the Caldecott Medal emblem to the front of the jacket; presence of the medallion indicates a reprint jacket, not a first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Big Snow a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Title is properly 'The Big Snow.' Macmillan imprint with the title page dated 1948; note the 1948 date alone does not prove a first printing. The first-printing dust jacket carries no Caldecott Medal emblem on the front panel (the medal was awarded in 1949) and the rear flap advertises only earlier Hader titles.
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 true first is the 1948 Macmillan issue. Identification rests on the dust jacket rather than the text block, since the title page is dated 1948 across printings.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add the Caldecott Medal emblem to the front of the jacket; presence of the medallion indicates a reprint jacket, not a first.
I have a first edition of Big Snow — 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.