The points of issue
First edition, first printing: Atheneum, New York, 1964. Per Atheneum convention the first printing states First Edition on the copyright page with no later printing line. Red cloth lettered in blind with gilt spine; illustrated by Alvin Smith. First-issue yellow pictorial dust jacket with no award seal.
Is this the true first?
US true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1965.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Atheneum printings drop the stated First Edition; post-award jackets add the Newbery seal. Book-club editions lack the price and the First Edition statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Shadow of a Bull a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing: Atheneum, New York, 1964. Per Atheneum convention the first printing states First Edition on the copyright page with no later printing line. Red cloth lettered in blind with gilt spine; illustrated by Alvin Smith. First-issue yellow pictorial dust jacket with no award seal.
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. US true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1965.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Atheneum printings drop the stated First Edition; post-award jackets add the Newbery seal. Book-club editions lack the price and the First Edition statement.
I have a first edition of Shadow of a Bull — 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.