# Is "The King's Stilts" by Dr. Seuss a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The King's Stilts by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1939) is identified by: First-printing binding has deep-red panels with yellow lettering on both covers, and red endpapers bearing crown-and-stilts vignettes; the copyright page lists only the two earlier Seuss titles. US Random House 1939 is the true first, one of Seuss's early Random House titles.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First-printing binding has deep-red panels with yellow lettering on both covers, and red endpapers bearing crown-and-stilts vignettes; the copyright page lists only the two earlier Seuss titles
- First-issue dust jacket carries the original low printed price; a higher-priced jacket indicates a later issue
- Later printings were rebound in plain yellow cloth with small red lettering and no red panels
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dr. Seuss |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1939 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First-printing binding has deep-red panels with yellow lettering on both covers, and red… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First-printing binding has deep-red panels with yellow lettering on both covers, and red endpapers bearing crown-and-stilts vignettes; the copyright page lists only the two earlier Seuss titles. First-issue dust jacket carries the original low printed price; a higher-priced jacket indicates a later issue. Later printings were rebound in plain yellow cloth with small red lettering and no red panels.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House 1939 is the true first, one of Seuss's early Random House titles. Verify the binding and endpaper points rather than relying on the copyright date alone.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings show the plain yellow-cloth binding and a revised, higher jacket price; earlier-title lists and binding state are the surest guides.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The King's Stilts* by Dr. Seuss a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-kings-stilts
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.