Estimated Ship Date: June 9, 2026

HarperCollins is pleased to bring the perennial classic A Hole Is To Dig back into print! From beloved children’s book creators Ruth Krauss and Maurice Sendak, this iconic book of first definitions, published in 1952, is clever, humorous, perfect for reading aloud, and a favorite of librarians everywhere.

“A brother is to help you, a package is to look inside, arms are to hug with, and a book is to look at,” as award-winning author Ruth Krauss and the many children who made suggestions, revisions, additions (and subtractions) say in this book. Since it was first published in 1952, generations of children have taken this book of words and black-and-white pictures to heart. With wonderful illustrations from Caldecott Medal winner Maurice Sendak, this is the funniest book of definitions you’ll ever read!