The points of issue
US first edition: HarperCollins, New York, published October 2007, with First Edition stated and a full number line ending in 1; the trade edition is deliberately designed to resemble an aged, distressed antique book.
Is this the true first?
Published in the US by HarperCollins and in the UK under the Harper Voyager imprint in October 2007, effectively simultaneous; no firm precedence, and both are collected as firsts.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club copies lack the printed jacket price and the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Mister B. Gone a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US first edition: HarperCollins, New York, published October 2007, with First Edition stated and a full number line ending in 1; the trade edition is deliberately designed to resemble an aged, distressed antique book.
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. Published in the US by HarperCollins and in the UK under the Harper Voyager imprint in October 2007, effectively simultaneous; no firm precedence, and both are collected as firsts.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club copies lack the printed jacket price and the number line.
I have a first edition of Mister B. Gone — 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.