# Is "St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves" by Karen Russell a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell (Alfred A. Knopf, 2006) is identified by: Borzoi/Knopf copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with a full number line descending to 1; Borzoi colophon. US Knopf hardcover (2006) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 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
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Karen Russell |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 2006 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Borzoi/Knopf copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with a full number line descending to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## 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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves* by Karen Russell a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/st-lucys-home-for-girls-raised-by-wolves
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.