World Book Day is just around the corner so it's time to start thinking about World Book Day costume ideas to inspire and encourage your kids to read for pleasure.
Lewis Carroll’s crazy world of Wonderland has introduced children to a whole host of unforgettable characters, and you’ll find Alice in Wonderland World Book Day costumes for all the best ones here! We’ve even got some step-by-step make-up video tutorials for you to try, too.
1. The Mad Hatter
The books are full of brilliant characters, but for many, the Mad Hatter will always be the best. In recent years, that’s probably partly down to Johnny Depp. However, we think the Hatter has always had one of the coolest costumes around, and World Book Day is a great time to give it a try!
Kids all over the world love reading about Alice in Wonderland’s adventures, and we know there are plenty of little girls who would jump at the chance to be her for a day! Our Alice costume combines all the magic of the classic story to create a must-have World Book Day costume.
This outfit is great for kids with a bit of a feisty side!
The hot-tempered Queen of Hearts is certainly a fun villain to play for a day, and this Queen of Hearts make-up tutorial based on Helena Bonham Carter’s film portrayal will help complete the look.
Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee might not be the most helpful characters Alice meets, but this outfit is certainly a useful answer to your World Book Day needs. It’s a particularly good choice for a pair of brothers or sisters.
Here’s a costume that’s sure to stand out! This Cheshire Cat outfit incorporates the character’s famous pink and purple stripes into this dress, tights and headband ensemble. We’ll leave it to your little one to add their own cheeky grin!
When it comes to The Wizard of Oz, you could argue that the film is more famous than the book. Indeed, L. Frank Baum’s novel is well over a century old. However, Dorothy and her travel companions remain as iconic as ever, so discover our Wizard of Oz fancy dress for World Book Day.
6. Dorothy
We all know how much Dorothy loves being at home, but we’re sure she won’t mind spending a day at school!
And what about Toto? Your child’s school is unlikely to be happy with a dog running around the classroom, but this fun Dorothy fancy dress accessory comes complete with a cuddly pooch, so he won’t miss out on the fun!
Did you know that J.M. Barrie’s most famous work was actually written as a play seven years before it was a book? Peter Pan is such an iconic story, it’s no wonder that the brilliant characters are still popular over a century later!
10. Peter Pan
Let’s start with the boy who wouldn’t grow up!
This Peter Pan outfit is so good, we reckon it’ll fly off the shelves!
With over 600 million copies sold since the first book in 1997, the Harry Potter books are one of the most popular book series ever, making them the perfect choice for World Book Day. Let your kids step into the magical world of Harry Potter with our Harry Potter costumes.
12. Harry Potter
The original Boy Who Lived is the obvious choice if you’re going down the Harry Potter fancy dress route, and here it is!
This Harry Potter costume features the Gryffindor robes, Harry’s iconic round glasses and his phoenix feather core magic wand.
Of course, Gryffindor is also home to the cleverest girl at Hogwarts; Hermione Granger! This girls’ school uniform is decorated in Gryffindor colours and the house badge. It really is top of the class!
It seems appropriate to dress as a famous teacher for World Book Day, and in the eyes of many children, Dumbledore is the greatest teacher of them all! As you can see, he’s also rocking some pretty impressive robes, so this is a spectacular choice for World Book Day.
As any serious Potter fan will know, Slytherins are fine now. It’s okay to like them. True, Malfoy is an exception to this rule, but he’s also the most famous Slytherin at Hogwarts during Harry’s school years.
Our Draco Malfoy fancy dress is a good option if you have blond Potter fans in the house, more than one child looking for Potter costumes, or if your child is planning on coordinating their costumes with a group of friends.
If we’re talking children’s books, we obviously have to look at Roald Dahl. These classic characters are instantly recognisable, so everyone will know straight away who your child is supposed to be.
17. Matilda
If your child loves school, chances are Matilda is one of their favourite fictional characters. Not only is she the smartest girl in her class, she’s literally magic!
This Matilda costume even comes with props, in the form of a library pass!
A Willy Wonka costume is a great outfit for kids who love to show off a bit!
The flamboyant chocolate factory owner is easily one of Dahl’s most popular creations, and we’re sure there are plenty of children who are jealous of his career choices.
