# Is "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster (illus. Jules Feiffer) a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (illus. Jules Feiffer) (Epstein & Carroll / Random House, 1961) is identified by: First edition: 1961, distributed by Random House (Epstein & Carroll association); copyright page states 'First Edition'; first-issue dust jacket with its printed price with Jules Feiffer art and no later-printing statement. US (Epstein & Carroll / Random House) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition: 1961, distributed by Random House (Epstein & Carroll association); copyright page states 'First Edition'; first-issue dust jacket with its printed price with Jules Feiffer art and no later-printing statement
- Publisher imprint reads Epstein & Carroll / Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Norton Juster (illus. Jules Feiffer) |
| Publisher | Epstein & Carroll / Random House |
| Year | 1961 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First edition: 1961, distributed by Random House (Epstein & Carroll association); copyright page states 'First Edition'; first-issue dust… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition: 1961, distributed by Random House (Epstein & Carroll association); copyright page states 'First Edition'; first-issue dust jacket with its printed price with Jules Feiffer art and no later-printing statement.

## Is this the true first?
US (Epstein & Carroll / Random House) is the true first. The 'First Edition' statement plus the Feiffer jacket at the printed price define it.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions omit 'First Edition,' lack the jacket price, and are reduced in size with a board blind-stamp.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Phantom Tollbooth* by Norton Juster (illus. Jules Feiffer) a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-phantom-tollbooth
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.