Book dedication examples for a teacher
A dedication to a teacher works best when it names the moment they changed something for you, whether that was a comment in a margin or a book they pressed into your hands. Below are examples for teachers, professors, and writing mentors, sorted by tone. Choose one to see it on the page, or write your own.
By the Proselis team · Updated
Short dedications to a teacher
For Mrs. Alvarez, with thanks.
To the teacher who said, “Keep going.”
For Mr. Okafor, who saw a writer before I did.
To my teachers, all of them.
Heartfelt dedications to a teacher
For Mrs. Alvarez, who wrote, “More, please,” in the margin of my first story.
To Mr. Okafor, who handed me a book at the right time and changed what I thought I could do.
For my third-grade teacher, who let me read during recess and never told on me.
To Professor Lin, whose red pen made this book better long before it existed.
For every teacher who stayed after class to talk about books.
Dedications for a writing mentor
These suit a workshop leader, a writing coach, or an editor who taught you.
For Ruth, who taught me that every sentence has a job.
To my mentor, who read the worst drafts and still asked to see the next one.
For Ruth. You said I would finish. I finished.
To the Thursday-night workshop and to Ruth, who ran it.
Funny dedications to a teacher
For Mrs. Alvarez, who said my handwriting would hold me back. I type now.
To Mr. Okafor, who gave me a B-minus on my first short story. This one’s for extra credit.
For my English teacher, who will find at least three comma splices in here.
How do you write a dedication to a teacher?
Name the teacher and then the moment that mattered, such as a comment, a book recommendation, or a word of encouragement. Use the name you called them, whether that was Mrs. Alvarez or a first name from a workshop. The more specific the moment, the more the line will mean to them.
Should you tell your teacher about the dedication?
If you can reach them, send a copy with a short note. Teachers rarely hear how things turned out, so a dedication can be one of the best thank-yous they ever receive.
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 a teacher who has died?
Yes, begin with “In memory of,” and follow it with their name and the detail you remember them for. The page on dedications in memory of someone has more examples.
Should I use my teacher’s title or first name?
Use the name you knew them by. “Mrs. Alvarez” keeps the classroom feeling, while a first name suits a mentor you worked with as an adult.
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.