The points of issue
First printing has 1967 on the copyright page with no statement of a later printing, no 'First Edition' slug, and no number line on the final leaf (Harper & Row did not begin adding number lines until 1969). First-issue jacket carries the original price and the early, short list of Sendak titles on the rear flap; longer title lists indicate later printings. Brown cloth with a color pictorial pastedown label of Jennie the terrier on the front board, gilt spine title, and red-stained top edges.
Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row 1967 edition is the true first; the Bodley Head UK edition is later. The first printing precedes any book-club state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issues use cheaper boards, are commonly slightly reduced in trim, often lack the price on the jacket, and frequently carry a circular blind-stamp on the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Higglety Pigglety Pop! or, There Must Be More to Life a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has 1967 on the copyright page with no statement of a later printing, no 'First Edition' slug, and no number line on the final leaf (Harper & Row did not begin adding number lines until 1969). First-issue jacket carries the original price and the early, short list of Sendak titles on the rear flap; longer title lists indicate later printings. Brown cloth with a color pictorial pastedown label of Jennie the terrier on the front board, gilt spine title, and red-stained top edges.
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 Harper & Row 1967 edition is the true first; the Bodley Head UK edition is later. The first printing precedes any book-club state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issues use cheaper boards, are commonly slightly reduced in trim, often lack the price on the jacket, and frequently carry a circular blind-stamp on the rear board.
I have a first edition of Higglety Pigglety Pop! or, There Must Be More to Life — 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.