The points of issue
First edition 1943, Houghton Mifflin (Boston). First printing has the title page dated 1943 and a copyright page without later-printing statements. Illustrations by Lynd Ward; color frontispiece and pictorial map endpapers; issued in cloth. Wartime paper.
Is this the true first?
US true first. Won the Newbery Medal in 1944.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Houghton Mifflin later printings add printing lines/dates (copies marked through the twenty-first printing and beyond exist); book-club and reprint editions lack the first-printing dating.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Johnny Tremain a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition 1943, Houghton Mifflin (Boston). First printing has the title page dated 1943 and a copyright page without later-printing statements. Illustrations by Lynd Ward; color frontispiece and pictorial map endpapers; issued in cloth. Wartime paper.
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 true first. Won the Newbery Medal in 1944.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Houghton Mifflin later printings add printing lines/dates (copies marked through the twenty-first printing and beyond exist); book-club and reprint editions lack the first-printing dating.
I have a first edition of Johnny Tremain — 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.