# Is "The Butter Battle Book" by Dr. Seuss a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1984) is identified by: First printing has the full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page, issued in laminated pictorial boards with the first-issue pictorial dust jacket carrying the original front-flap price. US Random House first, 1984.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing has the full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page, issued in laminated pictorial boards with the first-issue pictorial dust jacket carrying the original front-flap price
- Meets the Younger and Hirsh issue points
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dr. Seuss |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1984 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First printing has the full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page, issued in… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing has the full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page, issued in laminated pictorial boards with the first-issue pictorial dust jacket carrying the original front-flap price. Meets the Younger and Hirsh issue points.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House first, 1984. Confirm the full number line to 1 on the copyright page.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions typically lack the jacket price and often use blind-stamped boards; later printings show an advanced number line with the 1 removed.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Butter Battle Book* by Dr. Seuss a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-butter-battle-book
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.