# Is "The Magic Journey" by John Nichols a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Magic Journey by John Nichols (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978) is identified by: Stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page with the number line printed down to 1; Holt, Rinehart and Winston imprint; orange cloth over yellow boards with gilt spine; dust jacket bearing the original printed price. The US Holt, Rinehart and Winston edition of 1978 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page with the number line printed down to 1
- Holt, Rinehart and Winston imprint; orange cloth over yellow boards with gilt spine; dust jacket bearing the original printed price
- Second volume of the New Mexico Trilogy
- Publisher imprint reads Holt, Rinehart and Winston
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Nichols |
| Publisher | Holt, Rinehart and Winston |
| Year | 1978 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page with the number line printed down to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page with the number line printed down to 1; Holt, Rinehart and Winston imprint; orange cloth over yellow boards with gilt spine; dust jacket bearing the original printed price. Second volume of the New Mexico Trilogy.

## Is this the true first?
The US Holt, Rinehart and Winston edition of 1978 is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Identified by the stated 'First Edition' with the full number line and the priced jacket; book-club copies omit these and carry a blind-stamped board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Magic Journey* by John Nichols a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-magic-journey
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.