Book dedication for a child: 30 examples and three rules

Three rules for a dedication that gets read

One: short. Two or three sentences, forty words at most. A dedication is read aloud before the story starts, and a child wants the story.

Two: talk the way you talk. If you say "sweetheart" at home, write "sweetheart", not "beloved grandchild". The dedication should sound like you, not like a greeting card.

Three: one sentence only for this child. The name of the cuddly toy, the favourite word, the place you were together. That one sentence turns a dedication into a memory.

In a personalised children's book the dedication sits on the first page, right before the story. At Amberro you enter it when ordering; it appears the same in the eBook and the printed book.

Dedications from grandma and grandpa

From grandparents a dedication may be warm and a little old-fashioned. Ten examples:

• For Emma, our sunshine. So you always know how brave you are. Grandma and Grandpa.
• Dear Oliver, in this book you are the hero. At home you are too. Your Grandma.
• For Lily, who turns our house upside down every Sunday. We would not have it any other way. Grandpa and Grandma.
• Mia, you are the best thing that could happen to us at our age. Your grandparents.
• For Ben, who we love going dragon-hunting with most of all. Your Grandpa.
• Dear Clara, read this book when you miss us. We will be thinking of you right then. Grandma and Grandpa.
• For Noah, who knew where the biscuits were kept at two years old. Your Grandma.
• Leah, in this book you fly to the stars. Please always come back to us. Grandpa.
• For Jonah, our little firefighter. You rescue our hearts every day. Grandma and Grandpa.
• Dear Hannah, this book is for the evenings we cannot be there. We are reading along in our thoughts. Grandma.

More ideas for what grandparents can give are on the page a gift for your grandchild.

Dedications for a birth and for big brothers and sisters

For a birth the book usually goes to the big brother or sister, not to the baby. Five examples:

• For Elliot, who is now a big brother. The baby is lucky to have you. Mum and Dad.
• Dear Marie, you were here first and you stay our Marie. This book is yours alone. Grandma and Grandpa.
• For Tom. Now there are two of you, and you show the baby the world. Your aunt.
• For Ida, the big sister. Not everything is for the baby now: this book is for you. Grandma.
• For Louis, for the birth of your little sister. You are the one she looks up to now. Grandpa and Grandma.

For a newborn itself a picture book is not meant yet; a dedication to the baby can still go into a book it receives later. Which story suits which age is in From what age to read aloud.

Dedications for a birthday and the first school day

For a birthday the number may go in, for the first school day the pride. Ten examples:

• For Lottie on her fourth birthday. Four years old, and already the heroine of a book. Grandma and Grandpa.
• Dear Max, today you turn five. In this book you are as big as you feel. Mum.
• For Finn on his third birthday, from everyone who loves you.
• Dear Nell, for your birthday a book where you put a lamb to bed. Sleep well, big girl. Grandma.
• For Leon, six years old and not one bit quiet. Stay that way. Grandpa.
• For Sophie on her first school day. Now you learn to read, and the first book is about you. Grandma and Grandpa.
• Dear Jacob, good luck at school. When it gets hard, think of the rocket in this book. Grandpa.
• For Greta, a schoolgirl from today. We are so proud we had a book printed. Grandma.
• For Elias for the start of school. Reading you learn at school, but you were a hero before. Your parents.
• For Mila, school bag in one hand and this book in the other. Grandma and Grandpa.

What else suits the first school day is in A first-school-day gift from grandparents.

Dedications for Christmas, St Nicholas and Easter

For the festivals a dedication may be short and cheerful. Five examples:

• For Anna, found under the Christmas tree: a book where you carry the lantern. Grandma and Grandpa.
• Dear Felix, St Nicholas told us you had earned a book. Your Grandma.
• For Emma at Christmas. Not a gift from a shop, but one with you inside it. Grandpa.
• For Theo, hidden in the Easter nest, because chocolate melts and books stay. Grandma and Grandpa.
• Dear Joanna, merry Christmas. When we are not there in winter, Mum reads you this book, and we are there a little. Grandma.

The story itself says nothing about Christmas; the occasion goes in the dedication, and the book stays readable all year. More in A Christmas gift for a grandchild.

How the dedication gets into the book

At Amberro you enter the dedication in the third step of ordering, after the photo and the name. You can change it until you pay. Punctuation and line breaks are no problem; emojis are better left out, they do not print well everywhere.

The dedication sits on the first page of the book, in the eBook as in the hardcover, in the same typeface as the story. If you make the book first as an eBook for €7.99 and have it printed later, the dedication stays the same. Note that the printed book ships within Germany only.

If you are unsure, take an example from above, put in the name and change one sentence. Then the dedication sounds like you and not like us. How ordering works in three steps is on the home page. If you would rather tap than write: the dedication helper turns a name, an occasion and four questions into three finished dedications, free.