When you read a book, the front matter often tells you things about the author that may not be apparent from the main contents. For example, the foreword shows readers another person’s view of the writer, which might even be more accurate than the author’s own self-perception.
Also important is the book dedication page. It’s quite revealing and interesting to see who authors choose to acknowledge when given the limitation of just a few lines on a page.
And if you’re the one who’s just finished writing a book, you know how difficult it is to choose just one—or at most, a few—people to dedicate your book to!
What Is a Dedication Page in a Book?
The dedication page is where the author can express thanks or acknowledge others, often someone who has inspired or supported them. It is usually located in the front of the book.
Whereas the dedication page usually contains very short content, some books also include a page for acknowledgments in the back portion of the book. This section allows the author to expand their list of thank-yous to more than a few lines.
How Do You Write a Book Dedication?
If the thought of choosing someone to dedicate your book to feels intimidating, fear not! These steps will help you get started:
1. Choose a person or group of people.
Remember: your book’s dedication is a personal decision. Perhaps one of the ideas that paralyzes writers when it comes to writing the dedication page is the thought that they may not choose the right person. But bear in mind that there is no correct or wrong decision.
So who are some of the people you might choose? It can be any of the following:
- a parent or parents
- a sibling
- a family member, such as nephews and nieces
- a spouse or partner
- a teacher
- a mentor or coach
- a supervisor at work
- a friend
- a colleague
- students
- a pet
- a famous figure who’s inspired you
- just about anyone!
For example, when C.S. Lewis wrote the first book in what eventually became The Chronicles of Narnia series, he dedicated The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe to a girl named Lucy Barfield, his godchild:
My Dear Lucy,
I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result, you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand a word you say but I shall still be,
your affectionate Godfather,
C. S. Lewis
According to the official Owen Barfield website, Lucy Barfield has this to say: “What I could not do for myself the dedication did for me. My godfather gave me a greater gift than I had imagined.”
And taking the case of this dedication example, two questions to help you choose would be:
- Who would you like to acknowledge the most?
- Who do you think would appreciate this book the most?
In another example, author John Cordell chose to dedicate his legal thriller Contempt to his wife. You can see how the dedication is formatted in the actual book below:
2. Decide how to address the person.
Once you have chosen the person or people you’re dedicating the book to, decide how you want to address them in the dedication page. It depends highly on your personal relationship with that person.
For example, if you’re dedicating it to a family member, you can choose to address them as Mom, Dad, their full name, or choose a pet name.
3. Write the reason for your dedication.
Some dedication pages only put the name of the person, while others choose to elaborate.
For example, some dedications include an anecdote or give a funny slant to the dedication page. This approach is becoming increasingly popular, but of course, check to see if it matches the theme and tone of your book.
Book Dedication Examples
Here are some examples of book dedications from bestselling books. Observe the wide variety of relationships represented in these samples:
Example #1. Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
For Samuel, Blaine, and Luke.
I love your warrior hearts.
You definitely have what it takes.
Example #2. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
To my dear and honored Mother,
whose life, no less than her pen,
has been devoted to the welfare
of others, this little book is
affectionately dedicated.
Example #3. Carry a Big Stick by George Grant
To My Students:
The Covenant Classical School
The Gileskirk School
The Franklin Classical School
A New Generation of Leaders
Example #4. The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne
To Her
Hand in hand we come
Christopher Robin and I
To lay this book in your lap.
Say you’re surprised?
Say you like it?
Say it’s just what you wanted?
Because it’s yours—
Because we love you.
Example #5. Mozart & Constanze by Francis Carr
To Brigid Brophy,
a great Mozartian
Funny Book Dedication Examples
Some writers also like to show their wit in their book dedications. Here are some examples of humorous book dedication messages:
Example #1. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Lemony Snicket dedicated the whole 13-book series to his ex-fiancée, who had broken off their engagement and died soon afterward. Here are some examples:
The Bad Beginning:
To Beatrice–
darling, dearest, dead.
The Reptile Room:
For Beatrice–
My love for you shall live forever.
You, however, did not.
The Wide Window:
For Beatrice—
I would much prefer it if you were alive and well.
The Slippery Slope:
For Beatrice—
When we first met, you were pretty, and I was lonely.
Now I am pretty lonely.
Example #2. The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
To all those who lead monotonous lives, in the hope that they may experience at second hand the delights and dangers of adventure.
Example #3. Graduate Texts in Mathematics: An Introduction to Algebraic Topology by Joseph J. Rotman
To my wife Marganit
and my children Ella Rose and Daniel Adam
without whom this book would have
been completed two years earlier.
Dedicating Your Book
As you write your book dedication, remember to stay true to yourself and be as sincere as possible. Use it as your chance to encourage someone with your words.
And, if you feel like you have more people you want to dedicate your book to, you can always write more books!
If you wrote a book, who would you dedicate it to? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- What Is a Preface? How to Introduce Your Book to the World
- How to Write a Foreword: Who to Ask and What to Include
- 7-Step InDesign Tutorial for Book Layouts
- How to Make a (Really Good) Book Index in Word
Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
