The points of issue
Doubleday first: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with no later-printing line. Cloth in a first-issue jacket carrying the printed price on the front flap; illustrated/map endpapers. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1959.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday 1958 is the true first; the 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page is the required point.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the 'First Edition' statement, typically show a blind-stamp on the rear board, and carry a jacket without the printed price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Doubleday first: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with no later-printing line. Cloth in a first-issue jacket carrying the printed price on the front flap; illustrated/map endpapers. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1959.
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 Doubleday 1958 is the true first; the 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page is the required point.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies lack the 'First Edition' statement, typically show a blind-stamp on the rear board, and carry a jacket without the printed price.
I have a first edition of The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters — 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.