The points of issue
First edition 1940, Macmillan (New York). First printing dated 1940 on the copyright page with no reprint-history list. Author-illustrated by Armstrong Sperry; earliest issue in pictorial cloth with first-state jacket lacking the Newbery Medal seal.
Is this the true first?
US true first. Won the Newbery Medal in 1941. Published in the United Kingdom under the alternate title 'The Boy Who Was Afraid' (John Lane / The Bodley Head), a first-thus title variant rather than a precedent first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Macmillan reprint-history lines on the copyright page indicate a later printing. Jackets bearing the Newbery Medal seal are later states.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Call It Courage a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition 1940, Macmillan (New York). First printing dated 1940 on the copyright page with no reprint-history list. Author-illustrated by Armstrong Sperry; earliest issue in pictorial cloth with first-state jacket lacking the Newbery Medal 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. US true first. Won the Newbery Medal in 1941. Published in the United Kingdom under the alternate title 'The Boy Who Was Afraid' (John Lane / The Bodley Head), a first-thus title variant rather than a precedent first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Macmillan reprint-history lines on the copyright page indicate a later printing. Jackets bearing the Newbery Medal seal are later states.
I have a first edition of Call It Courage — 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.