# Is "The Little Friend" by Donna Tartt a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Little Friend by Donna Tartt (Alfred A. Knopf, 2002) is identified by: Knopf, New York, 2002 (published October 22, 2002). US Knopf first edition; a near-simultaneous UK Bloomsbury edition also appeared in 2002.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2002 (published October 22, 2002)
- The copyright page states 'First Edition' with a number line ending in 1
- Bound in black paper-covered boards with the spine and upper board stamped in silver, with black endpapers; issued in a photo-illustrated dust jacket designed by Chip Kidd that should retain its original printed front-flap price
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Donna Tartt |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 2002 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2002 (published October 22, 2002) |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2002 (published October 22, 2002). The copyright page states 'First Edition' with a number line ending in 1. Bound in black paper-covered boards with the spine and upper board stamped in silver, with black endpapers; issued in a photo-illustrated dust jacket designed by Chip Kidd that should retain its original printed front-flap price.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf first edition; a near-simultaneous UK Bloomsbury edition also appeared in 2002. US and UK printings are treated as concurrent firsts.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable US book-club edition. A separate signed/limited UK Bloomsbury special edition exists and is distinct from the Knopf trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Little Friend* by Donna Tartt a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-little-friend
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.