The points of issue
First edition: Harper & Row 1974; copyright page bears the Harper code and full number line; first-issue dust jacket priced the printed price (and the printed price library) with no later-printing statement. First-state binding in the textured boards.
Is this the true first?
US Harper & Row is the true first. Identification rests on the Harper copyright-page code/number line and the the printed price first-issue jacket price.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the price and Harper code, are reduced in size, and carry a board blind-stamp; later printings advance the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition: Harper & Row 1974; copyright page bears the Harper code and full number line; first-issue dust jacket priced the printed price (and the printed price library) with no later-printing statement. First-state binding in the textured boards.
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 Harper & Row is the true first. Identification rests on the Harper copyright-page code/number line and the the printed price first-issue jacket price.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the price and Harper code, are reduced in size, and carry a board blind-stamp; later printings advance the number line.
I have a first edition of Where the Sidewalk Ends — 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.