How to identify a first printing
- UK firsts: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (standard British convention)
- US editions (now under Macmillan Children's): number line ending in 1, often accompanied by a 'First American edition' statement
Notable points & cautions
- Reference and nonfiction children's imprint (encyclopedias, atlases, history and science titles); founded by Daniel Grisewood, who established Kingfisher Books in 1978 (the Grisewood & Dempsey packaging firm dated from 1973), later under Larousse/Groupe de la Cite, then Houghton Mifflin, and now Macmillan Children's Books
- Frequently revised and updated editions, so distinguish a true first from a 'new/updated/revised edition' reissue by reading the copyright-page edition statement together with the number line
- Ownership and era changes determine which publisher name appears on the copyright page
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Kingfisher (UK), Kingfisher (US, Macmillan Children's). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Kingfisher (children's) book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. UK firsts: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (standard British convention) US editions (now under Macmillan Children's): number line ending in 1, often accompanied by a 'First American edition' statement
Does Kingfisher (children's) use a number line?
US editions (now under Macmillan Children's): number line ending in 1, often accompanied by a 'First American edition' statement
Is a book-club edition a Kingfisher (children's) first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Reference and nonfiction children's imprint (encyclopedias, atlases, history and science titles); founded by Daniel Grisewood, who established Kingfisher Books in 1978 (the Grisewood & Dempsey packaging firm dated from 1973), later under Larousse/Groupe de la Cite, then Houghton Mifflin, and now Macmillan Children's Books
What era does this cover?
This covers Kingfisher (children's) (1970s-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.