The points of issue
Borzoi/Knopf copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with a full number line descending to 1; Borzoi colophon. Yellow boards with an orange backstrip, spine lettered in silver. Russell's debut, ten stories.
Is this the true first?
US Knopf hardcover (2006) is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The later Vintage Contemporaries paperback is a first-thus reprint, not the first. Book-club hardcovers lack the number line and the flap price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Borzoi/Knopf copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with a full number line descending to 1; Borzoi colophon. Yellow boards with an orange backstrip, spine lettered in silver. Russell's debut, ten stories.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Knopf hardcover (2006) is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The later Vintage Contemporaries paperback is a first-thus reprint, not the first. Book-club hardcovers lack the number line and the flap price.
I have a first edition of St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.