First Edition Identification
Dr. Seuss Beginner Books B-03
1958 A Fly Went By
1958 B-03 A Fly Went By
Mike McClintock. Fritz Siebel (Illustrator). A Fly Went By. New York. Beginner Books: 1958.
Pages#: 64 pages.
Book Description: Color illustrated boards wrapped in matching dust jacket. The 3rd book in the groundbreaking Beginner Book series, written specifically to help children learn to read while simultaneously engaging and entertaining them. The story tells of the antics a boy experiences when he chases a fly buzzing by told using only 177 different words. One of the ‘All-Time Bestselling Children’s Books’ according to Publisher’s Weekly.
Pagination: Front fixed and free endpapers illustrated in color; [i] title; [ii] copyright; 3-65 story; [65] last page of story is on the recto of back free endpaper; back free and fixed endpaper illustrated in color.
Collectibility Context
The first edition book in its original first edition DJ is a Very Collectible: Early book in ground breaking Beginner Books series, which changed the way children learned to read in America. Embraced by the public for 66 years with millions of copies sold. The 91st bestselling children’s hardback of all-time.
The Collectibility of a first edition American picturebook is comprised of specific factors, as explained in detail at Factors Affecting Collectibility.
| Scarcity | Collect ibility | Illust. | 1st Early Late | Author | Awards | Pop Culture | Copies Sold | Fran chise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 10 |
Scarcity Context
The first edition book in its original first edition DJ is Scarce to Uncommon: There were 3 first editions found in the March 2024 survey, with an average price of $140, ranging from $250 to $69.
First Edition Book & Dust Jacket Descriptions
Book Front: Bound in glossy paper covered boards with color illustration. “A Fly [FOR BEGINNING READERS logo] / Went By / By Mike McClintock / Illustrated by Fritz Siebel”
Note: Click on any of the book’s images to see at larger scale.
Book Back: Bound in illustrated paper covered boards. “What are Beginner Books? / They are the answer to millions of parents … […paragraph] / [FOR BEGINNING READERS Logo] / BEGIN YOUR CHILD’S LIBRARY WITH / THESE BEGINNER BOOKS! / [Bennett Cerf signature] / President of Random House / [Chalkboard graphic with six books listed as follows.] / 1. The Cat in the Hat / 2. The Cat in the Hat Comes Back / 3. A Fly Went By / 4. The Big Jump / A Big Ball of String / Sam and the Firefly / AT ALL BOOK STORES $1.95 / Beginner Books, Inc. / Distributed by RANDOM HOUSE, 437 Madison Ave. New York 22, N.Y. / Trademark of Beginner Books, Inc. [very small text at bottom left]”
Book Spine: “A FLY WENT BY McClintock Beginner Books, Inc.”
Title Page: “A FLY WENT BY / [color illustration] / By Mike McClintock / Illustrated by Fritz Siebel / Beginner Books / DISTRIBUTED BY RANDOM HOUSE”
Copyright: “For KIM and LESLIE [top middle of page] / First Printing / (c) COPYRIGHT 1958 by Mike McClintock / All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. / Published in New York by Beginner Books, Inc., and / simultaneously in Toronto, Canada, / by Random House of Canada, Limited. / Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 58-9018. Manufactured in the United States of America.”
DJ Front: Color illustration matching book front. “A Fly [FOR BEGINNING READERS Logo] / Went By / By Mike McClintock / Illustrated by Fritz Siebel”
DJ Back: Beginner Books DJ Back ‘B’: 1958 6 Titles
“What are Beginner Books? / They are the answer to millions of parents and educators who have begged … […paragraph] / [FOR BEGINNING READERS’ logo] / BEGIN YOUR CHILD’S LIBRARY WITH THESE BEGINNER BOOKS / [Bennett Cerf Signature] / Bennett Cerf / President of Random House / [Chalkboard with numbered list of first 6 Beginner Books] / AT ALL BOOK STORES $1.94 / Beginner Books, Inc. / Distributed by RANDOM HOUSE, 457 Madison Ave., New York 22, N. Y.” [Note: lacks ‘Trademark of Beginner Books, Inc.’ bottom left.]
DJ Spine: “A FLY WENT BY McClintock Beginner Books, Inc.”
DJ Price: 1.95
DJ Flap Front: “$1.95 [top right] / [Beginner Books Logo] / A Fly Went By / When a child in the first of second grade … [… paragraph] / Take this book — A Fly Went By, by … […paragraph] / Mike McClintock used only 177 dif- … [… paragraph] / *Trademark of Beginner Books, Inc. [very small black text bottom of flap]”
DJ Flap Back: “[Mike McClintock caricature] / [Two paragraph Mike McClintock biography] / [Fritz Siebel caricature] / [One paragraph biography]”
First Edition Identification
First edition book states ‘First Printing’ on the copyright page.
First edition dust jacket is Beginner Books 1958 DJ ‘B’ with six titles listed,
Note: I have books stated ‘First Printing’ with and without ‘B-3’ on the DJ spine. The ‘First Printing’ book without ‘B-3’ on the DJ spine has precedence. The ‘First Printing’ books with ‘B-3’ on the DJ spine are a mixed state, and earlier than the second printings discussed below.
Second Printings and Later
Second printing book omits ‘First Printing’ statement on the copyright page, otherwise is identical to first printing.
Second printing DJ is identical to first printing with no ‘B-3’ on the spine.
Third printing book omits ‘First Printing’ statement on the copyright page, otherwise is identical to first printing.
Third printing DJ is identical to first printing but with ‘B-3’ on the spine.
Note: The back dust jacket on all these printings have only the six Beginner Books listed on the chalkboard – this implies that these were printed prior to the 1959 titles being released.
See First Fifty Beginner Books for first edition identification of the first 50 Beginner Books.
See Beginner Books Dust Jacket Backs to see the chronological sequence of the Beginner Books dust jackets.
All of this information is sourced from the First Edition Identification Guide: Beginner Books (2024, Flying Moose Books), by Stan Zielinski.