The 52 Book Club: 2025 / 2026 Challenge discussion

9. A book with a dedication

What is a dedication? Often times, authors dedicate their books to family, friends, or even someone famous. You’ll usually find these dedications within the first few pages of a book, right before the story begins. Sometimes, these dedications are really simple and are just a name or a set of initials. Other times , they’re humorous, witty, or might even make us cry. It’s up to you which sort of dedication you’re going to pick for this prompt!

Also, feel free to share your Dedication line with us below or on our Facebook or Instagram page! #the52bookclub2023


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The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

I'm a little confused about this prompt. I don't think I've ever seen a book that doesn't have a dedication of some kind. It could be that this is a kind of freebie topic, but I can't help feeling like I'm missing something.

Rachel wrote: "I'm a little confused about this prompt. I don't think I've ever seen a book that doesn't have a dedication of some kind. It could be that this is a kind of freebie topic, but I can't help feeling ..."
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl didn't have one

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

Rachel wrote: "I'm a little confused about this prompt. I don't think I've ever seen a book that doesn't have a dedication of some kind. It could be that this is a kind of freebie topic, but I can't help feeling ..."
Most do, but not all do. I am finding more classics that don't. But in general this is an easy prompt to fill.

The Gift by Louise Jensen

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Mostly Sunny by Janice Dean
Dedication to her husband

Maybe stardust by Neil Gaiman

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

The Nanny by Lana Ferguson

Any of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich have a dedication. I am on Eleven on Top, so I plugged it in on this prompt.

Beauchamp Hall by Danielle Steel

Mad Honey - Jodi Picoult has Epilogue, Epigraph, Dedication, Secrets

What if it's dedicated to SOMETHING instead of SOMEONE? The book I just read, America's First Daughter, is dedicated "To friendship and perserverance."

I’m going to read They both die at the end by Adam Silvera as I Goggled best book dedications and this has a good one! There’s lots of good books to choose from.

Kim wrote: "What if it's dedicated to SOMETHING instead of SOMEONE? The book I just read, America's First Daughter, is dedicated "To friendship and perserverance.""

A dedication is a dedication, I'd count it.

I finished A Slip of the Keyboard: Collected Non-Fiction for this prompt.

The Mitten by Jan Brett dedication: For Sylvia Kyle, Ruth Ann Johnson, Rebecca Lim and Tad Beagley,

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong 5/5. Only complaint was that it wasn't in color (graphic novel) but the story was pretty good and it dealt with a lot more than high school drama.

I read Embers of Love . 5/5 stars. Christian Fiction. Dedication: "To Judy Miller Your friendship has blessed me in so many ways. I pray God gives you strength to manage the days to come."

It is part of a series I own and have been wanting to read and I fit each of the three books into the challenge.

Becoming (Michelle Obama)

To all the people who have helped me become: the folks who raised me—Fraser, Marian, Craig, and my vast extended family, my circle of strong women, who always lift me up, my loyal and dedicated staff, who continue to make me proud.
To the loves of my life: Malia and Sasha, my two most precious peas, who are my reasons for being, and finally, Barack, who always promised me an interesting journey.

Tonight I finished THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS by Laurie Frankel. This was a 5***** read for me.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel- an amazing book which I was planning to read regardless of this challenge, but it happened to have a dedication.

I read: Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

I am currently reading The Book Eaters

I am reading Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby. This is the Feb read for my book club which I probably would not have chosen, but have found it thoroughly captivating. And a most interesting dedication:

"For my father Roy Cosby. Your reach sometimes exceeded your grasp, but once you got hold of the steering wheel, you drove it like it stole it. Ride on, wild man. Ride on."

I read Beowulf for Cretins: A Love Story by Ann McMan.
"For Domina and HB. This book would not exist without the warm welcome you always provide—whether I deserve it or not.    
This book also is dedicated to dear Father Jimmy (and his Sister Adorers of the Divine Wrath). Thank you for showing by example that God has a sense of humor."

The Bookseller of Kabul - Asne Seierstad

The Ballad of Tom Dooley by Sharyn McCrumb. It's a novel based on the true story behind the song by the Kingston Trio.

My book for this prompt is "Song for a Whale" by Lynne Kelly it is about a 12 year old deaf girl who learns about a whale that can sing, but whose song can't be understood by other whales. She decides to write a song so the whale knows that he isn't alone. The end of the book is a bit far-fetched. The themes of acceptance, finding your place in the world, and overcoming loss and grief struck a chord with me. (Pun unintended) This book is described as a book for middle readers, but I think it can be enjoyed by everyone.

Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier is what I read for this prompt. This book was dedicated to "Max". I loved this prompt because it forced me to look at book dedications, something I had never done before. Some of the dedications on my previously read books were touching and funny. It's a prompt we can use for practically any book on our TBR lists!

I read Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout. It is the second book in the Lucy Barton series. I am using this series for Prompt 39-last book in a series.

The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History By John M Barry "To my darling Anne and to the spirit that was Paul Lewis"

I read The Book of cold cases by Simone St. James

Since a dedication is so easy to find, I wanted to match this prompt with something very special, so I didn't want to use a book with the usual "to my friend so-and-so".
I chose Raybearer, which has the most beautiful and poetic dedication:
"For the kid scanning fairy tales
for a hero with a face like theirs
And for the girls whose stories
we compressed into pities and wonders,
triumphs and cautions, without asking,
even once, for their names"

I read Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover. I've been wanting to read it and it happened to have a dedication :)

A Good Girls Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

"For the embalmers who went to Aberfan and for the people they went to help".
A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I read Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

Absolutely loved this book and would absolutely recommend reading this book if you haven't yet!! I gave this 5 stars!!

"A las Mujeres — To the women" the The House on Mango Street dedication reads.

I read Scales of Ash & Smoke by Emily L. Schneider. This book is an indie debut, so I felt the dedication was probably extra meaningful for the author.

Happy that this category allowed me to choose any book from my TBR!

Whole Again by Jackson Mackenzie

I read All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir, 4 Stars

"For those who survive. For those who do not."

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

for many fetes

I read Sabrina & Corina by Kali Fajardo-Anstine.
" For my mama and papa, creators of artists"

As an aside, one of my favorite dedications is for Frederik Backman's Anxious People: "This book is dedicated to the voices in my head, the most remarkable of friends" and "And to my wife, who lives with us."

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny