Book dedication examples for your sister
A dedication to your sister works best when it points to something only the two of you share, such as a childhood bedroom, a running joke, or the years she spent defending you. Below are examples sorted by tone. Choose one to see it on the page, or write your own.
By the Proselis team · Updated
Short dedications to your sister
For Clara, always.
To my sister, my first reader.
For Clara. You knew before I did.
To my big sister, who went first.
For C., partner in every crime.
Heartfelt dedications to your sister
For Clara, who shared a bedroom and every secret with me.
To my sister, who read my first stories under the covers with a flashlight and asked for more.
For Clara. Some people are given a best friend. I was born with one.
To my sister, who answered every late-night phone call while I wrote this.
For Clara, who knows which parts are true.
Funny dedications to your sister
For Clara, who borrowed my sweaters and never gave them back. You can keep this one.
To my sister, who will insist she is the funny one. She is not.
For Clara, who told Mom it was my fault. It was your fault.
To my little sister, who will read this and immediately text me about the typos.
Dedications for a younger sister
These suit a sister who grew up watching you write.
For Clara, who always wanted to know what happened next.
To my little sister. I hope you find yourself somewhere in these pages.
How do you write a dedication to your sister?
Pick one memory that belongs to the two of you, such as a shared bedroom, a family road trip, or the summer you both learned to swim. A short line that hints at that memory will mean more to her than a general thank-you. If you have more than one sister, name them all, or dedicate future books to each in turn.
Should you mention your sister’s nickname?
Mention it if it’s one she likes. A childhood nickname feels private and warm, and strangers won’t need to understand it. Skip any nickname she would rather the world didn’t see.
Where does the dedication go?
In a printed book, the dedication gets its own right-hand page after the copyright page, usually centered about a third of the way down. Some books share that page with the epigraph. In an ebook, it comes right after the copyright page.
How long should a dedication be?
Most are one or two lines. Anything longer usually belongs in the acknowledgments at the back, where you can thank everyone by name.
Questions
Can I dedicate a book to my sister and my brother together?
Yes, name them in one line, such as “For Clara and Sam,” or write “To my sister and brother” if you want to keep their names private.
What if my sister helped edit the book?
Thank her for the editing in the acknowledgments, where you can be specific. The dedication can stay personal, and the acknowledgments can say exactly what she did.
Can I dedicate a book to more than one person?
Yes. Name them together, as in “For Maya and Leo,” or give each person a line. If the list grows past three or four names, move your thanks to the acknowledgments.
Do I have to include a dedication?
No. Many books have none. Leave it out if nobody comes to mind, because a forced dedication shows.
Should the dedication be in italics?
It’s common but not required. Most dedications are centered and set in italic or small type so they stand apart from the text.
Give your dedication its own page
Proselis has a dedication page ready in its Front Matter menu, so your dedication lands in the right place in your EPUB and print PDF. Writing is free. Publishing a book as an EPUB and a print-ready PDF is a one-time $20.