The points of issue
Rushdie's first children's book; cloth boards with gilt spine lettering; copyright page carries a full number line ending in 1 (first printing) with no later-printing statement; dust jacket priced accordingly.
Is this the true first?
The UK Granta/Penguin first edition (1990) precedes the US Granta/Viking Penguin edition (1990) and is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add a printing statement or remove the 1 from the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Haroun and the Sea of Stories a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Rushdie's first children's book; cloth boards with gilt spine lettering; copyright page carries a full number line ending in 1 (first printing) with no later-printing statement; dust jacket priced accordingly.
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 Granta/Penguin first edition (1990) precedes the US Granta/Viking Penguin edition (1990) and is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add a printing statement or remove the 1 from the number line.
I have a first edition of Haroun and the Sea of Stories — 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.