The points of issue
Houghton Mifflin Company imprint; copyright 1942. The decisive first-printing point is the presence of '1942' on the TITLE page (the date flanks the central flower); the second printing (May 1943) is otherwise identical but removes the '1942' from the title page. The first-issue dust jacket front flap carries the printed price (verify presence of the original price, not the figure for valuation). Oblong quarto in blue cloth stamped in white, with pictorial endpapers.
Is this the true first?
US true first is the 1942 Houghton Mifflin issue identified by '1942' on the title page.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings remove the title-page date; reprints add the Caldecott seal to the jacket. Book-club issues are smaller in format and often lack the original priced flap.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Little House a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Houghton Mifflin Company imprint; copyright 1942. The decisive first-printing point is the presence of '1942' on the TITLE page (the date flanks the central flower); the second printing (May 1943) is otherwise identical but removes the '1942' from the title page. The first-issue dust jacket front flap carries the printed price (verify presence of the original price, not the figure for valuation). Oblong quarto in blue cloth stamped in white, with pictorial endpapers.
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 true first is the 1942 Houghton Mifflin issue identified by '1942' on the title page.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings remove the title-page date; reprints add the Caldecott seal to the jacket. Book-club issues are smaller in format and often lack the original priced flap.
I have a first edition of The Little House — 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.