# Is "Roller Skates" by Ruth Sawyer a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Roller Skates by Ruth Sawyer (The Viking Press, 1936) is identified by: First edition 1936, Viking (NY). US true first (Viking trade issue).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition 1936, Viking (NY)
- The first printing copyright page reads 'First Published October 1936' with no later printing notices
- Illustrations by Valenti Angelo
- Note that a Junior Literary Guild issue appeared concurrently and is generally treated as a separate issue from the Viking trade first
- Publisher imprint reads The Viking Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ruth Sawyer |
| Publisher | The Viking Press |
| Year | 1936 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First edition 1936, Viking (NY) |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition 1936, Viking (NY). The first printing copyright page reads 'First Published October 1936' with no later printing notices. Illustrations by Valenti Angelo. Note that a Junior Literary Guild issue appeared concurrently and is generally treated as a separate issue from the Viking trade first.

## Is this the true first?
US true first (Viking trade issue). Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1937.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Viking later printings add printing statements on the copyright page. The Junior Literary Guild issue is a distinct concurrent issue, not the Viking trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Roller Skates* by Ruth Sawyer a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/roller-skates
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.