what to write inside a book you’re giving

3 July 2026

you’ve bought the book, the wrapping paper is ready, and then you hesitate: should you write something inside. do it. a book without an inscription could be anyone’s; a book with one is yours forever. but what do you put, and with which pen. we’ve lined up example inscriptions for every occasion — a new baby, a birthday, saying goodbye to a teacher — plus the practical things nobody tells you. copy them as they are if you like — but the loveliest inscription is the one only you could have written.

original photo the book Lauren en de dino's was made from

your photos

your book

why that one line inside makes the gift

have a look through the old children’s books in a charity shop and you’ll find them soon enough: inscriptions from 1974, in fountain pen — "for our little girl, from grandma and grandad". the book has yellowed, the line hasn’t. that’s exactly what an inscription does: it turns a book from the shop into a book only this child could have been given, and it stays readable long after the wrapping paper is forgotten. you don’t need to be a writer. a good inscription is short and has four parts: who it’s for, why this book, who it’s from, and when. one or two lines is enough. longer is allowed, but rarely better.

for a new baby

a baby can’t read yet, and that’s exactly why this is the loveliest inscription to write: it’s for later. a few examples to get you started — "for florence. this book was waiting for you before you arrived. welcome." — "dear alfie, first we’ll read it to you. in a few years, you’ll read it to us." — "for maya, bought on the day you were born. from grandad." always add the date of birth; eighteen years from now that one line is proof this book was there from day one. and if you’re giving a book that’s about those first days itself, the inscription almost writes itself.

see the new baby book

for a birthday

for a birthday, the inscription is allowed to play. write the age in — it seems unnecessary, but it’s exactly what makes it such a joy to read back later. examples: — "for daisy, five years old. because you’re every bit as brave as the girl in this book." — "dear noah, you get a book from me every year. this is number three, keep them safe." — "for lena, seven, who asked for a book about dragons. here are your dragons. from mum and dad." that second one is secretly the cleverest: give a book every year with a numbered inscription and you build a series no shop can sell.

for a teacher or the nursery, at the end of the year

at the end of the school year it turns around: the child gives a book to the person who read to them all year. so let the inscription belong to the child — you’re allowed to help with the spelling. examples: — "dear miss shaw, thank you for a year full of stories. this time there’s one for you. from iris." — "for mr davies, from class 2. all our names are below, so you won’t forget us." that second example doubles as the golden tip for a gift from the whole class: have every child sign their own name underneath, in their own handwriting. wonky and crossed out is allowed. especially then.

practical: which pen, where on the page, and the date

write the line on a scrap of paper first — the front of a book is no place for a first draft. choose a pen that won’t bleed through: a fineliner or gel pen works well, a thick felt tip shows through thin paper and pencil fades over the years. test the pen at the back, at the bottom of the last page. the best spot is the endpaper — the blank page just inside the cover — or the title page, but next to the printed text, not over it. always add a date; month and year is enough. and if the writing goes wrong anyway: calmly cross it out and carry on. an inscription doesn’t have to be perfect, it has to be real.

and in a book that’s already personal

if you’re giving a book that’s already about the child, the inscription only gets better. the books we make come with a printed dedication page at the front with the child’s name on it — and on that same page there’s plenty of room to add your own line by hand. printed and handwritten, side by side: the book says who it’s for, your handwriting says who it’s from. and because the story itself is already written and drawn from your photos, the inscription doesn’t need to explain a thing. one line and a date is enough.

make a book where the child plays the lead