The points of issue
First edition: Houghton Mifflin 1993; full number line ending in 1; first-issue dust jacket WITHOUT the Newbery Medal (won 1994), priced the printed price, with the photographic portrait of the old man on the front. No later-printing statement.
Is this the true first?
US Houghton Mifflin is the true first. The pre-Newbery jacket (no gold medal) plus the complete number line ending in 1 mark the true first; relaunch jackets added the medal after 1994.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions add the Newbery Medal, lack the price, are smaller, and carry a board blind-stamp; later printings advance the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Giver a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition: Houghton Mifflin 1993; full number line ending in 1; first-issue dust jacket WITHOUT the Newbery Medal (won 1994), priced the printed price, with the photographic portrait of the old man on the front. No later-printing statement.
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. US Houghton Mifflin is the true first. The pre-Newbery jacket (no gold medal) plus the complete number line ending in 1 mark the true first; relaunch jackets added the medal after 1994.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions add the Newbery Medal, lack the price, are smaller, and carry a board blind-stamp; later printings advance the number line.
I have a first edition of The Giver — 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.