The points of issue
First edition published 1965 by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, New York (the title page sometimes also carries the Bell Books imprint line). The true first printing states First printing on the copyright page, with no later-printing statement. Pictorial cloth in a pictorial dust jacket; first-state jacket precedes the addition of the Newbery Medal seal.
Is this the true first?
United States true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1966, so first-printing jackets predate the seal.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later FSG printings alter or remove the First printing line. Book-club copies lack a printed jacket price; post-award jackets add the Newbery seal.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of I, Juan de Pareja a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition published 1965 by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, New York (the title page sometimes also carries the Bell Books imprint line). The true first printing states First printing on the copyright page, with no later-printing statement. Pictorial cloth in a pictorial dust jacket; first-state jacket precedes the addition of 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. United States true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1966, so first-printing jackets predate the seal.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later FSG printings alter or remove the First printing line. Book-club copies lack a printed jacket price; post-award jackets add the Newbery seal.
I have a first edition of I, Juan de Pareja — 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.