# Is "Rabbit Hill" by Robert Lawson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson (The Viking Press, 1944) is identified by: First edition 1944, Viking (New York). US true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition 1944, Viking (New York)
- First printing identified by 'First Published September 1944' on the copyright page with no further printings noted
- Author-illustrated by Robert Lawson; pictorial cloth
- First-state jacket lacks the Newbery Medal seal
- Publisher imprint reads The Viking Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert Lawson |
| Publisher | The Viking Press |
| Year | 1944 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First edition 1944, Viking (New York) |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition 1944, Viking (New York). First printing identified by 'First Published September 1944' on the copyright page with no further printings noted. Author-illustrated by Robert Lawson; pictorial cloth. First-state jacket lacks the Newbery Medal seal.

## Is this the true first?
US true first. Won the Newbery Medal in 1945.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Viking later printings list additional printings. Second-state jackets add the Newbery Medal seal to the front. The sequel 'The Tough Winter' is a separate book.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Rabbit Hill* by Robert Lawson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/rabbit-hill
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.