The points of issue
First printing has a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and a first-state jacket WITHOUT the Newbery Medal seal, in cloth-backed boards, with the printed price to the flap and the Carl Nelson photograph on the cover.
Is this the true first?
US Houghton Mifflin 1993 is the true first; winner of the 1994 Newbery Medal. This entry documents the number-line and seal-free first-state jacket points rather than duplicating the base title already in the index.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions add the gold Newbery seal to the jacket, lack the number line, carry a blind-stamp, and are unpriced; first printings without the seal are markedly scarcer.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Giver (first-printing/award points) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and a first-state jacket WITHOUT the Newbery Medal seal, in cloth-backed boards, with the printed price to the flap and the Carl Nelson photograph on the cover.
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 1993 is the true first; winner of the 1994 Newbery Medal. This entry documents the number-line and seal-free first-state jacket points rather than duplicating the base title already in the index.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions add the gold Newbery seal to the jacket, lack the number line, carry a blind-stamp, and are unpriced; first printings without the seal are markedly scarcer.
I have a first edition of The Giver (first-printing/award points) — 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.