How to Identify a Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (S&S Children's) First Edition

How to identify a first printing

• S&S house convention: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (S&S has long relied on the number line rather than always wording 'First Edition')
• Many S&S children's firsts state 'First Edition' AND carry a number line to 1; the line is authoritative
• Beach Lane / Paula Wiseman / McElderry sub-imprints all use the parent S&S number-line convention

Notable points & cautions

• S&S Children's absorbed Atheneum and Margaret K. McElderry; those imprint names persist on title pages but printing is determined by the S&S number line
• Little Simon (board books) and Aladdin (paperback reprints) are generally not where trade firsts originate
• Beach Lane Books (Allyn Johnston) is a notable contemporary picture-book imprint

Imprints

First editions also appear under: Margaret K. McElderry Books, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Aladdin, Beach Lane Books, Paula Wiseman Books, Saga Press (YA crossover), Salaam Reads, Little Simon, Caitlyn Dlouhy Books. Each generally follows the house convention above.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (S&S Children's) book is a first edition?

Check the copyright page. S&S house convention: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (S&S has long relied on the number line rather than always wording 'First Edition') Many S&S children's firsts state 'First Edition' AND carry a number line to 1; the line is authoritative

Does Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (S&S Children's) use a number line?

Many S&S children's firsts state 'First Edition' AND carry a number line to 1; the line is authoritative

Is a book-club edition a Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (S&S Children's) first edition?

No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. S&S Children's absorbed Atheneum and Margaret K. McElderry; those imprint names persist on title pages but printing is determined by the S&S number line

What era does this cover?

This covers Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (S&S Children's) (1924–present (children's division mid-20th c. onward)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.