# Is "Petals on the Wind" by V.C. Andrews a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Petals on the Wind by V.C. Andrews (Pocket Books, 1980) is identified by: Mass-market paperback original from Pocket Books, 1980; look for a complete first-printing number line on the copyright page and no later reprint dating. The Pocket Books paperback original is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Mass-market paperback original from Pocket Books, 1980; look for a complete first-printing number line on the copyright page and no later reprint dating
- Second Dollanganger novel, sequel to Flowers in the Attic
- Publisher imprint reads Pocket Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | V.C. Andrews |
| Publisher | Pocket Books |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Mass-market paperback original from Pocket Books, 1980; look for a complete… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Mass-market paperback original from Pocket Books, 1980; look for a complete first-printing number line on the copyright page and no later reprint dating. Second Dollanganger novel, sequel to Flowers in the Attic.

## Is this the true first?
The Pocket Books paperback original is the true first. Like the other early Dollanganger titles, Petals on the Wind was issued as a paperback original with no trade hardcover trade edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A hardcover Book Club Edition does exist (issued through Simon & Schuster/Pocket), so the earlier note that there is no BCE is incorrect. The BCE is a hardcover with dust jacket and can be distinguished from the true first paperback by format alone; later paperback printings show a shortened number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Petals on the Wind* by V.C. Andrews a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/petals-on-the-wind
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.