# Is "A Severed Wasp" by Madeleine L'Engle a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Severed Wasp by Madeleine L'Engle (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1982) is identified by: US Farrar, Straus and Giroux first edition, first printing, designated on the copyright page (FSG first-edition statement with number line to 1). US FSG first edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Farrar, Straus and Giroux first edition, first printing, designated on the copyright page (FSG first-edition statement with number line to 1)
- Adult novel; a sequel of sorts to The Small Rain
- First-issue jacket is unclipped with the original price
- Publisher imprint reads Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Madeleine L'Engle |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | US Farrar, Straus and Giroux first edition, first printing, designated on the copyright… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Farrar, Straus and Giroux first edition, first printing, designated on the copyright page (FSG first-edition statement with number line to 1). Adult novel; a sequel of sorts to The Small Rain. First-issue jacket is unclipped with the original price.

## Is this the true first?
US FSG first edition is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later book-club printings lack the first-printing number line and their jackets omit the original trade price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Severed Wasp* by Madeleine L'Engle a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-severed-wasp
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.