The points of issue
Copyright page states First Edition (Harper & Row used a stated-edition line for this title, not a number line). Illustrated children's/holiday book with Ivan Chermayeff, who created the abstract images first; Vonnegut then wrote text to fit them. Black cloth boards with sun, star, and moon devices to the front; priced dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1980 Harper & Row edition. A minor, often-overlooked Vonnegut title.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book-club issue noted; identify the first by the stated First Edition line and an unclipped priced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Sun Moon Star a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states First Edition (Harper & Row used a stated-edition line for this title, not a number line). Illustrated children's/holiday book with Ivan Chermayeff, who created the abstract images first; Vonnegut then wrote text to fit them. Black cloth boards with sun, star, and moon devices to the front; priced dust jacket.
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. True first is the 1980 Harper & Row edition. A minor, often-overlooked Vonnegut title.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No prominent book-club issue noted; identify the first by the stated First Edition line and an unclipped priced jacket.
I have a first edition of Sun Moon Star — 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.