Lists

10 Fantastic Book Dedications

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Wallace Yovetich

Staff Writer

Wallace Yovetich grew up in a home where reading was preferred to TV, playing outside was actually fun, and she was thrilled when her older brothers weren’t home so she could have a turn on the Atari. Now-a-days she watches a bit more TV, and considers sitting on the porch swing (with her laptop) “playing outside”. She still thinks reading is preferable to most things, though she’d really like to find out where her mom put that old Atari (Frogger addicts die hard). She runs a series of Read-a-Longs throughout the year (as well as posting fun bookish tidbits throughout the week) on her blog, Unputdownables. After teaching for seven years, Wallace is now an aspiring writer. Blog: Unputdownables Twitter: @WallaceYovetich

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The other day I was flipping through my Instagram feed and came across a dedication that I liked so much it sent me to the library to get the book. (It’s easy to get great book recommendations from Instagram.) It made me realize how many fantastic dedications there are, and how often I skim right over them. So I asked readers what their favorites were, and here are some that were sent to me.

 

tiger lily cover

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Andersen

For the girls with messy hair and thirsty hearts.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close cover jonathan safran foer

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Sarfran Foer (to his wife, novelist Nicole Krauss)

For Nicole, my idea of beautiful.

history of love

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

For my grandparents, who taught me the opposite of disappearing.

i am malala

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai

To all the girls who have faced injustice and have been silenced. Together we will be heard.

revolution cover

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (to her daughter)

To Daisy, who kicked out the walls of my heart.

secret adversary

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.

dark places

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

What can I say about a man who knows how I think and still sleeps next to me with the lights off?

Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 2) by C.S. Lewis

TO LUCY BARFIELD

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

invisible hook

The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates by Peter Leeson

Ania, I love you, will you marry me?

everything is perfect when you're a liar

Everything is Perfect When You’re a Liar by Kelly Oxford

This book is dedicated to my childhood glasses. You made me who I am today.

*****

If you haven’t had enough great dedications, here are seven more. What is your favorite book dedication?

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