The points of issue
First printing has NO printing number on the copyright page; later printings add a small numeral (a '(2)' on the copyright page marks the second printing). First-issue jacket retains the original price. Red cloth boards with gilt titling to the front board and spine, oblong format, unpaginated. Completes Sendak's picture-book trilogy with Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen.
Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row 1981 edition is the true first; the Bodley Head UK edition is later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the original jacket price, are often slightly reduced in trim size, and carry a blind-stamp on the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Outside Over There a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has NO printing number on the copyright page; later printings add a small numeral (a '(2)' on the copyright page marks the second printing). First-issue jacket retains the original price. Red cloth boards with gilt titling to the front board and spine, oblong format, unpaginated. Completes Sendak's picture-book trilogy with Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen.
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 1981 edition is the true first; the Bodley Head UK edition is later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the original jacket price, are often slightly reduced in trim size, and carry a blind-stamp on the rear board.
I have a first edition of Outside Over There — 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.