The points of issue
The Jonathan Cape first carries a single 'First published 1981' statement with no later-printing dates added beneath; bound in light blue cloth-effect boards with gilt spine lettering, in the first-issue Quentin Blake jacket bearing the original UK price to the front flap. Uncorrected proofs carry a provisional price and a stated May 1981 publication date and are not the trade first.
Is this the true first?
The UK Jonathan Cape 1981 edition is the true first. The US Knopf edition, titled 'George's Marvelous Medicine' with American spelling, is a separate later issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US 'Marvelous'-spelling copies are not the UK true first. Later Cape printings add subsequent printing dates beneath the 'First published 1981' line, and price-clipped jackets remove the identifying flap price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of George's Marvellous Medicine a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The Jonathan Cape first carries a single 'First published 1981' statement with no later-printing dates added beneath; bound in light blue cloth-effect boards with gilt spine lettering, in the first-issue Quentin Blake jacket bearing the original UK price to the front flap. Uncorrected proofs carry a provisional price and a stated May 1981 publication date and are not the trade 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. The UK Jonathan Cape 1981 edition is the true first. The US Knopf edition, titled 'George's Marvelous Medicine' with American spelling, is a separate later issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
US 'Marvelous'-spelling copies are not the UK true first. Later Cape printings add subsequent printing dates beneath the 'First published 1981' line, and price-clipped jackets remove the identifying flap price.
I have a first edition of George's Marvellous Medicine — 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.