diff --git a/docs/book/book.yaml b/docs/book/book.yaml
index 5577d700..3702abbb 100644
--- a/docs/book/book.yaml
+++ b/docs/book/book.yaml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ src_dir: "src"
 front:
   - {id: title,       file: 00-front/00-title.md,       nav: false}
   - {id: copyright,   file: 00-front/00-copyright.md,   nav: false}
+  - {id: dedication,  file: 00-front/00-dedication.md,  nav: false}
   - {id: preface,     file: 00-front/00-preface.md,     title: "Preface"}
   - {id: conventions, file: 00-front/00-conventions.md, title: "Conventions"}
   - {id: primer,      file: 00-front/00-rust-primer.md, title: "A Rust Primer"}
diff --git a/docs/book/build/build.py b/docs/book/build/build.py
index 2d87d57d..66bd8d20 100644
--- a/docs/book/build/build.py
+++ b/docs/book/build/build.py
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ def _inline_svg(path: Path) -> str:
 
 def _front_class(fid: str) -> str:
     return {"title": "frontmatter title-page",
-            "copyright": "frontmatter copyright-page"}.get(fid, "frontmatter")
+            "copyright": "frontmatter copyright-page",
+            "dedication": "frontmatter dedication-page"}.get(fid, "frontmatter")
 
 
 def _items_from_manifest(cfg: dict) -> list[dict]:
diff --git a/docs/book/dist/firefly-rust-by-example.epub b/docs/book/dist/firefly-rust-by-example.epub
index 68305668..a24e33bf 100644
Binary files a/docs/book/dist/firefly-rust-by-example.epub and b/docs/book/dist/firefly-rust-by-example.epub differ
diff --git a/docs/book/dist/firefly-rust-by-example.pdf b/docs/book/dist/firefly-rust-by-example.pdf
index a11e89ac..9cdb6de9 100644
Binary files a/docs/book/dist/firefly-rust-by-example.pdf and b/docs/book/dist/firefly-rust-by-example.pdf differ
diff --git a/docs/book/src/00-front/00-dedication.md b/docs/book/src/00-front/00-dedication.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a8ababb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/book/src/00-front/00-dedication.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+For **Ángel Luis Mula**, our CIO —
+
+who asked, in every standup, every roadmap review, and at least one elevator,
+"so… when do we do the Rust version?" — until, finally, we did.
+
+From the team that keeps the systems running: thank you for a stack with no
+garbage collector to babysit, no 3 a.m. page for a runaway heap, and a cloud
+bill that no longer reads like a ransom note.
+
+The borrow checker is the only thing in this building stricter than you.
+
+**May your pagers stay silent and your p99s stay flat.**
diff --git a/docs/book/theme/print.css b/docs/book/theme/print.css
index 637b97ad..eb7495cc 100644
--- a/docs/book/theme/print.css
+++ b/docs/book/theme/print.css
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ body{ background:#fff; }
   display:flex; flex-direction:column; justify-content:flex-end;
   min-height:7.3in; font-size:.82rem; color:var(--ink-soft); string-set:runhead "";
 }
+/* a short dedication, vertically centred and italic, no running head */
+.frontmatter.dedication-page{
+  display:flex; flex-direction:column; justify-content:center;
+  min-height:7.3in; text-align:center; font-style:italic;
+  color:var(--ink-soft); string-set:runhead "";
+}
+.frontmatter.dedication-page p{ margin:.5rem auto; max-width:25rem; line-height:1.5; }
 
 /* ============ chapters ============ */
 .chapter{ break-before:page; padding-bottom:0; }