The points of issue
First printing: the copyright page with 'FIRST EDITION' / no later code; the first-issue interior has the green color states correct, and the jacket priced accordingly. Specific point: the 'mush' bowl and the wallpaper color states distinguish printings.
Is this the true first?
US Harper 1947 is the true first; later printings alter the color of the great green room illustrations. First printings are scarce as the book sold modestly at first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and later Harper printings change interior colors and drop 'First Edition'; the color states are the key tell.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Goodnight Moon a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing: the copyright page with 'FIRST EDITION' / no later code; the first-issue interior has the green color states correct, and the jacket priced accordingly. Specific point: the 'mush' bowl and the wallpaper color states distinguish printings.
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 Harper 1947 is the true first; later printings alter the color of the great green room illustrations. First printings are scarce as the book sold modestly at first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club and later Harper printings change interior colors and drop 'First Edition'; the color states are the key tell.
I have a first edition of Goodnight Moon — 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.