# Is "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl (illus. Nancy Ekholm Burkert) a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (illus. Nancy Ekholm Burkert) (Alfred A. Knopf, 1961) is identified by: True first is the US Alfred A. US Knopf (1961) is the true first, preceding the UK George Allen & Unwin edition (1967).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- True first is the US Alfred A. Knopf edition
- with no printing statement and no later titles listed
- The earliest issue is identified by the colophon reading 'Bound by H. Wolff, New York' (later printings substitute 'The Book Press')
- Publisher's red cloth boards, upper board blind-stamped with a boy encircled in a wreath, gilt lettering to the spine; top edge stained yellow, green endpapers
- Nancy Ekholm Burkert illustrations
- First-issue jacket carries its printed price present at the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Roald Dahl (illus. Nancy Ekholm Burkert) |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1961 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | True first is the US Alfred A. Knopf edition |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
True first is the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (1961) with no printing statement and no later titles listed. The earliest issue is identified by the colophon reading 'Bound by H. Wolff, New York' (later printings substitute 'The Book Press'). Publisher's red cloth boards, upper board blind-stamped with a boy encircled in a wreath, gilt lettering to the spine; top edge stained yellow, green endpapers; Nancy Ekholm Burkert illustrations. First-issue jacket carries its printed price present at the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf (1961) is the true first, preceding the UK George Allen & Unwin edition (1967). The Wolff colophon, red cloth binding, and Burkert art together define the earliest state.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions omit any first-edition points, are reduced in size, and lack the printed jacket price. The UK first uses Michel Simeon art (and later Quentin Blake), which is a separate 'first thus.' A Knopf copy with 'The Book Press' colophon is a later binding state rather than the earliest issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *James and the Giant Peach* by Roald Dahl (illus. Nancy Ekholm Burkert) a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/james-and-the-giant-peach
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.