# Is "R Is for Rocket" by Ray Bradbury a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of R Is for Rocket by Ray Bradbury (Doubleday, 1962) is identified by: US Doubleday, 1962, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page. US Doubleday first edition, 1962.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Doubleday, 1962, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page
- Bound in blue paper-covered boards
- The first-state dust jacket carries Joe Mugnaini's cover illustration and the original printed price, lacks the later library-recommendation box on the lower front flap, and shows the early photographic portrait of Bradbury on the rear panel
- Story collection of seventeen tales, two of which ('R Is for Rocket' and 'Frost and Fire') appear in book form here for the first time
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ray Bradbury |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 1962 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Doubleday, 1962, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Doubleday, 1962, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page. Bound in blue paper-covered boards. The first-state dust jacket carries Joe Mugnaini's cover illustration and the original printed price, lacks the later library-recommendation box on the lower front flap, and shows the early photographic portrait of Bradbury on the rear panel. Story collection of seventeen tales, two of which ('R Is for Rocket' and 'Frost and Fire') appear in book form here for the first time.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday first edition, 1962. Collects seventeen stories; two appear in book form here for the first time.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book Club editions lack the 'First Edition' statement and carry the club blind stamp; they are also typically on lighter, cheaper boards.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *R Is for Rocket* by Ray Bradbury a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/r-is-for-rocket
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.