# Is "The Eyes and the Impossible" by Dave Eggers a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers (Knopf Books for Young Readers / McSweeney's, 2023) is identified by: First edition 2023, illustrated by Shawn Harris. US true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition 2023, illustrated by Shawn Harris
- Two states were released simultaneously and are tracked separately: the standard Knopf Books for Young Readers trade hardcover (ISBN 9781524764203), and the deluxe McSweeney's edition bound in die-cut bamboo (solid front and back covers) with gilt page edges
- On the Knopf trade edition the first printing carries a number line ending in 1 with a 2023 copyright; first-state jacket without the Newbery seal
- Publisher imprint reads Knopf Books for Young Readers / McSweeney's
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dave Eggers |
| Publisher | Knopf Books for Young Readers / McSweeney's |
| Year | 2023 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First edition 2023, illustrated by Shawn Harris |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition 2023, illustrated by Shawn Harris. Two states were released simultaneously and are tracked separately: the standard Knopf Books for Young Readers trade hardcover (ISBN 9781524764203), and the deluxe McSweeney's edition bound in die-cut bamboo (solid front and back covers) with gilt page edges. On the Knopf trade edition the first printing carries a number line ending in 1 with a 2023 copyright; first-state jacket without the Newbery seal.

## Is this the true first?
US true first. Because the Knopf trade and the McSweeney's deluxe editions were published simultaneously, neither has clear precedence over the other; collectors treat them as distinct first issues. Newbery Medal 2024.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
On the trade edition, a number line not ending in 1 indicates a later printing; post-award printings and jackets add the seal. Distinguish the McSweeney's bamboo/wood-board deluxe issue from the standard Knopf trade edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Eyes and the Impossible* by Dave Eggers a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-eyes-and-the-impossible
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.