The points of issue
First printing dust jacket priced the printed price / '3.50' point and the rear flap states the first-edition reviews absent; the copyright page has no later-printing statement. First-issue jacket has the price and the Caldecott medal is NOT on the jacket (the medal was won in 1964, so true first-issue jackets predate it).
Is this the true first?
US Harper & Row 1963 is the true first. The most reliable point: a true first-issue jacket has NO Caldecott Medal seal printed on it (added after the 1964 award). Sendak-signed firsts are desirable.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and later printings carry the Caldecott Medal on the jacket and/or a printed medal seal; any jacket showing the medal is a later issue, not the 1963 first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Where the Wild Things Are a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing dust jacket priced the printed price / '3.50' point and the rear flap states the first-edition reviews absent; the copyright page has no later-printing statement. First-issue jacket has the price and the Caldecott medal is NOT on the jacket (the medal was won in 1964, so true first-issue jackets predate it).
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 1963 is the true first. The most reliable point: a true first-issue jacket has NO Caldecott Medal seal printed on it (added after the 1964 award). Sendak-signed firsts are desirable.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club and later printings carry the Caldecott Medal on the jacket and/or a printed medal seal; any jacket showing the medal is a later issue, not the 1963 first.
I have a first edition of Where the Wild Things Are — 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.