# Is "Tehanu" by Ursula K. Le Guin a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin (Atheneum / Margaret K. McElderry Books, New York, 1990) is identified by: McElderry Books) hardcover, cloth-backed boards, 226 pages; first printing identified by the 'First Edition' statement together with a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; priced dust jacket. The US Atheneum/McElderry 1990 hardcover is the true first edition, identified by the 'First Edition' statement plus a full number line ending in 1.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Atheneum (Margaret K. McElderry Books) hardcover, cloth-backed boards, 226 pages; first printing identified by the 'First Edition' statement together with a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; priced dust jacket
- The first-edition jacket and title carry the subtitle 'The Last Book of Earthsea.'
- Publisher imprint reads Atheneum / Margaret K. McElderry Books, New York
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ursula K. Le Guin |
| Publisher | Atheneum / Margaret K. McElderry Books, New York |
| Year | 1990 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Atheneum (Margaret K. McElderry Books) hardcover, cloth-backed boards, 226 pages; first printing identified by the 'First Edition'… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Atheneum (Margaret K. McElderry Books) hardcover, cloth-backed boards, 226 pages; first printing identified by the 'First Edition' statement together with a full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; priced dust jacket. The first-edition jacket and title carry the subtitle 'The Last Book of Earthsea.'

## Is this the true first?
The US Atheneum/McElderry 1990 hardcover is the true first edition, identified by the 'First Edition' statement plus a full number line ending in 1. UK editions were issued separately and do not precede it.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions exist; they are typically identified by an unpriced or clipped jacket stating Book Club Edition and lack the trade 'First Edition' statement and number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Tehanu* by Ursula K. Le Guin a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/tehanu
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.