First Edition Identification
Dr. Seuss Beginner Books B-05
1958 A Big Ball of String
1958 B-05 A Big Ball of String
Marion Holland. A Big Ball of String. New York. Beginner Books: 1958.
Pages#: 64 pages.
Book Description: Color illustrated boards wrapped in matching dust jacket. The 5th 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 a boy day dreaming about collecting string into a gigantically large ball and the things he could do with it. Told using only 212 different words.
Pagination: Front fixed and free endpapers illustrated in color; illustrated verso of front free endpaper; [i] title; [ii] copyright; 3-62 story; [63-64] blank; blank 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 hundreds of thousands of copies sold. Marion Holland was a successful children’s book author and illustrator for decades. Little pop culture appeal.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
Scarcity Context
The first edition book in its original first edition DJ is Uncommon: There were 4 first editions found in the March 2024 survey, with an average price of $87, ranging from $150 to $56. This first edition is not scarce, just that the market price is too low for copies to surface.
First Edition Book & Dust Jacket Descriptions
Book Front: Bound in glossy blue paper covered boards with color illustration. “A / BIG BALL / OF / STRING / WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY / MARION HOLLAND [FOR BEGINNING READERS logo]”
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 BIG BALL OF STRING [white] HOLLAND BEGINNER BOOKS, INC. [white]”
Title Page: “A Big Ball / of String / Written and illustrated by / MARION HOLLAND / Beginner Books / DISTRIBUTED BY RANDOM HOUSE”
Copyright: “To/ NICK and ANDREW [top middle of page] / First Printing / (c) Copyright, 1958, by Marion Holland / 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: 58-11964. Manufactured in the United States of America.”
DJ Front: Color illustration matching book front. “A / BIG BALL / OF / STRING / WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY / MARION HOLLAND [FOR BEGINNING READERS Logo]”
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 BIG BALL OF STRING [white] HOLLAND BEGINNER BOOKS, INC. [white]”
DJ Price: 1.95
DJ Flap Front: “$1.95 [top right] / [Beginner Books Logo] / A Big Ball / of String / When a child in the first of second grade … [… paragraph] / Take this book — A Big Ball of String … […paragraph] / Marion Holland used only 212 differ- … [… paragraph] / *Trademark of Beginner Books, Inc. [very small black text bottom of flap]”
DJ Flap Back: “[Marion Holland caricature] / [Two paragraph Marion Holland 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-5’ on the DJ spine. The ‘First Printing’ book without ‘B-5’ on the DJ spine has precedence. The ‘First Printing’ books with ‘B-5’ 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-5’ 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 with no ‘B-5’ on the book or DJ spine and with blank price (no ‘195/195’) on the DJ front flap.
Fourth printing book omits ‘First Printing’ statement on the copyright page, otherwise is identical to first printing.
Fourth printing DJ is identical to first printing but with ‘B-5’ 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.