The points of issue
Borzoi/Knopf copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the number-line descending to a terminal '1'; Borzoi colophon. Quarter grey cloth over grey paper boards with gilt lettering; confirm the jacket flap price is unclipped.
Is this the true first?
The US Knopf hardcover (1994) is the true first. A UK edition followed; do not rely on a specific UK publisher or date here unless verified on the copy in hand.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the number-line and the jacket flap price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Borzoi/Knopf copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the number-line descending to a terminal '1'; Borzoi colophon. Quarter grey cloth over grey paper boards with gilt lettering; confirm the jacket flap price is unclipped.
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. The US Knopf hardcover (1994) is the true first. A UK edition followed; do not rely on a specific UK publisher or date here unless verified on the copy in hand.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the number-line and the jacket flap price.
I have a first edition of Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? — 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.