The points of issue
First edition states a Harper code on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket priced the printed price with no Caldecott/award mention. Earliest issue has the green cloth-textured boards / first-state binding and the jacket spine without later award blurbs. The book block is undated by reprint line on the first.
Is this the true first?
US Harper & Row is the true first. Jacket price (the printed price) and the absence of later printing statements/award blurbs are the practical first-issue markers, as the book was a slow seller initially and early printings are scarce.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the jacket price and the Harper code, carry a blind-stamp on the rear board, and use the later printing's jacket blurbs touting its popularity.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Giving Tree a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition states a Harper code on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket priced the printed price with no Caldecott/award mention. Earliest issue has the green cloth-textured boards / first-state binding and the jacket spine without later award blurbs. The book block is undated by reprint line on the first.
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 Harper & Row is the true first. Jacket price (the printed price) and the absence of later printing statements/award blurbs are the practical first-issue markers, as the book was a slow seller initially and early printings are scarce.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the jacket price and the Harper code, carry a blind-stamp on the rear board, and use the later printing's jacket blurbs touting its popularity.
I have a first edition of The Giving Tree — 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.