# Is "Ragged Dick, or, Street Life in New York with the Boot-Blacks" by Horatio Alger, Jr. a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Ragged Dick, or, Street Life in New York with the Boot-Blacks by Horatio Alger, Jr. (A. K. Loring, 1868) is identified by: Published May 5, 1868, following serialization in The Student and Schoolmate.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Published May 5, 1868, following serialization in The Student and Schoolmate
- First-edition points concern the front advertisement leaf for the 'Ragged Dick Series': the true first edition lists only two titles in the series, Ragged Dick itself and the forthcoming Fame and Fortune, described as available 'In December' 1868 (later printings list additional forthcoming volumes)
- Bound copies of the first issue show the frontispiece/illustrated title depicting Dick standing alone with his boot-blacking box; later issues substitute an image of four street boys
- Collation 296 pages, 18 by 12 cm
- Publisher imprint reads A. K. Loring
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Horatio Alger, Jr. |
| Publisher | A. K. Loring |
| Year | 1868 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Published May 5, 1868, following serialization in The Student and Schoolmate |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Published May 5, 1868, following serialization in The Student and Schoolmate. First-edition points concern the front advertisement leaf for the 'Ragged Dick Series': the true first edition lists only two titles in the series, Ragged Dick itself and the forthcoming Fame and Fortune, described as available 'In December' 1868 (later printings list additional forthcoming volumes). Bound copies of the first issue show the frontispiece/illustrated title depicting Dick standing alone with his boot-blacking box; later issues substitute an image of four street boys. Collation 296 pages, 18 by 12 cm.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Ragged Dick, or, Street Life in New York with the Boot-Blacks* by Horatio Alger, Jr. a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/ragged-dick-or-street-life-in-new-york-with-the-boot-blacks
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.