The points of issue
Doubleday & Company (Junior Books) imprint, Garden City, New York, copyright 1946, with the words 'FIRST EDITION' printed on the copyright page and the author credited as 'Golden MacDonald.' First-issue dust jacket is unclipped and carries no Caldecott seal, as the medal was awarded in 1947.
Is this the true first?
The US true first is the 1946 Doubleday trade issue under the Golden MacDonald pseudonym. Critically, the Junior Literary Guild book-club issue also bears the 'FIRST EDITION' statement, so that wording alone does not prove a trade first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Junior Literary Guild issue is identified by a Junior Literary Guild designation on the title page and on the lower front jacket flap; despite carrying the 'First Edition' wording, it is a book-club issue and not the trade first. Later printings add the Caldecott seal to the jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Little Island a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Doubleday & Company (Junior Books) imprint, Garden City, New York, copyright 1946, with the words 'FIRST EDITION' printed on the copyright page and the author credited as 'Golden MacDonald.' First-issue dust jacket is unclipped and carries no Caldecott seal, as the medal was awarded in 1947.
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. The US true first is the 1946 Doubleday trade issue under the Golden MacDonald pseudonym. Critically, the Junior Literary Guild book-club issue also bears the 'FIRST EDITION' statement, so that wording alone does not prove a trade first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Junior Literary Guild issue is identified by a Junior Literary Guild designation on the title page and on the lower front jacket flap; despite carrying the 'First Edition' wording, it is a book-club issue and not the trade first. Later printings add the Caldecott seal to the jacket.
I have a first edition of The Little Island — 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.