# Is "Strega Nona" by Tomie dePaola a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola (Prentice-Hall, 1975) is identified by: First printing copyright page carries no later-printing statement. US Prentice-Hall 1975 is the true first (current reprints carry a Simon & Schuster imprint).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing copyright page carries no later-printing statement
- A genuine text-state point: the early-printing title page and jacket give the subtitle as 'an old tale retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola'; later printings change this to 'an original tale written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola'
- Original cloth-backed boards with the price present on the jacket flap
- Publisher imprint reads Prentice-Hall
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tomie dePaola |
| Publisher | Prentice-Hall |
| Year | 1975 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First printing copyright page carries no later-printing statement |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing copyright page carries no later-printing statement. A genuine text-state point: the early-printing title page and jacket give the subtitle as 'an old tale retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola'; later printings change this to 'an original tale written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola'. Original cloth-backed boards with the price present on the jacket flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Prentice-Hall 1975 is the true first (current reprints carry a Simon & Schuster imprint). A 1976 Caldecott Honor was awarded the year after publication.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions typically carry a blind-stamp to the rear board and are unpriced. Later printings change the subtitle from 'an old tale retold' to 'an original tale written', which is a clear later-state indicator.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Strega Nona* by Tomie dePaola a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/strega-nona
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.