The points of issue
True first: the Houghton Mifflin '200/200' price ('2.00 net' with matching '200/200' code) on the front jacket flap; the rear flap lists the book as the only Beginner Book. The first-issue jacket has the '200/200' price code.
Is this the true first?
The Houghton Mifflin trade issue (with '200/200') is the true first; the Random House trade-store issue and library issues are separate. The '200/200' price code is the headline point.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and later printings lack the '200/200' code and list additional Beginner Books on the flap; any jacket listing later titles is a later issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Cat in the Hat a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first: the Houghton Mifflin '200/200' price ('2.00 net' with matching '200/200' code) on the front jacket flap; the rear flap lists the book as the only Beginner Book. The first-issue jacket has the '200/200' price code.
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. The Houghton Mifflin trade issue (with '200/200') is the true first; the Random House trade-store issue and library issues are separate. The '200/200' price code is the headline point.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club and later printings lack the '200/200' code and list additional Beginner Books on the flap; any jacket listing later titles is a later issue.
I have a first edition of The Cat in the Hat — 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.