40 World Book Day Costume Ideas For Kids

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.

From Roald Dahl costumes to The Wizard of Oz fancy dress to Harry Potter we've got a collection of the best World Book Day fancy dress for kids and teens.

Alice In Wonderland Costumes

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.

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!

You can even do your child’s make-up for them with this Mad Hatter make-up tutorial!

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!

The Wizard of Oz Costumes

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.

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!

The Scarecrow might be missing a brain, but even he can see that this costume is anything but the short straw when it comes to World Book Day!

If you’re still searching for World Book Day fancy dress, why not follow your heart? That’ll lead you to another of Dorothy’s friends – the Tin Man!

Last but not least from the Land of Oz, don’t be afraid to try something a bit different by dressing up as the Cowardly Lion! This lion costume works especially well if your child goes as part of a group with a Scarecrow and a Tin Man.

Peter Pan Costumes

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!

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!

She might not have much to say for herself, but as Peter Pan’s sidekick, Tinker Bell is certainly an important part of the story. Oh, and did we mention this Tinker Bell costume comes with light up wings? We’re pretty sure your little one will love that!

Harry Potter Costumes

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.

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.

Poor Moaning Myrtle, forever doomed to haunt the girl’s toilets at Hogwarts! Not the most dignified of deaths, but an understandable one nonetheless. Make sure to match this costume with lots of moaning and wailing!

Roald Dahl Costumes

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.

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!

Everyone will be happy to see this Wonka bar Golden Ticket walk into the room! There’s something about it that just makes you feel…lucky! This is also a super simple, low effort costume, so what are you waiting for?

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.

While Wonka gets all the attention, it’s easy to forget that it’s little Charlie Bucket whose name features in the title of the book. This outfit is your golden ticket to World Book Day success!

Julia Donaldson Costumes

Julia Donaldson has created a number of much-loved children’s stories since her first book was published in 1993. She was also the Children’s Laureate from 2011-13.

The mouse might not believe in The Gruffalo, but we certainly do! In fact, here is a Gruffalo onesie ready to solve your fancy dress conundrum in time for World Book Day. 

It takes a special author to make a piece of wood the star of the show, but that’s what Julia Donaldson managed to do with the story of Stick Man! Send your child off on an adventure of their own with this comfy costume.

Zog’s a great role model for kids. Sure, he’s prone to the odd accident, but all he wants is to be the best student he can be. This comfy Zog onesie with attached wings really is the best in class when it comes to your child’s World Book Day fancy dress costume.

David Walliams Costumes

Probably the biggest children’s author in the country at the moment, David Walliams’ books have sold more than 25 million copies! He’s written at least one every year since 2008, so there are plenty of characters to choose from.

Here are some of our favourites!

Grandpa’s Great Escape is one of Walliams’ most charming stories, and children across the country love the adventures of Jack and his World War II fighter pilot Grandpa.

It’s also one of the most recognisable costumes for kids, as Grandpa’s Great Escape was part of the BBC’s Christmas TV schedule in 2018.

Awful Auntie is another of Walliams’ creative villains. Here’s horrible Auntie Alberta in her distinctive purple outfit and green hat, along with one of her scary owls!

More Children's Classics

Children’s literature is littered with iconic characters. Here are a few more of our favourites!

What’s that? You want more ideas? Let’s start with Oliver Twist, star of the Dickens novel and one of the best musicals ever!

This is a simple Victorian dress-up kit that’ll give your child the hat and waistcoat needed to transform into a scruffy Victorian street urchin. Consider yourself sorted for World Book Day!

Five years before it became a Disney classic, 101 Dalmatians was a charming novel written by English author Dodie Smith. This quick and easy Dalmatian Onesie will make a great World Book Day outfit, and you’ve got more than enough characters to choose from!

tiWe all have that friend who turns up unannounced and polishes off all the food and drink in the house. In Judith Kerr’s children’s classic, it just so happens to be a tiger! This tiger costume may not be that same tiger, but with a teacup in hand no one will know the difference!

She might not be great at telling the difference between wolves and old ladies, but Red Riding Hood does at least wear a comfy, instantly recognisable outfit that’s ideal for World Book Day!

Here’s a World Book Day costume that’s just right! Did you know that the story of the Three Bears originally featured a grumpy old woman instead of Goldilocks? We know which version we prefer, especially when it comes to choosing a World Book Day outfit!

 The star of more than 70 stories by Michael Bond, Paddington Bear is easily one of the most popular children’s characters the UK has ever produced. This quick and easy Paddington outfit comes complete with his famous duffle coat and red hat, as well as a mask to hide behind!

Why not keep things on trend by serving toast and marmalade for breakfast?

Let your kids take a jolly holiday from their usual school uniform with this smart Mary Poppins outfit. The most famous nanny in fiction is a great choice for World Book Day, particularly as she’s recently returned to cinema screens once again.

Hey, it’s still a book even if it doesn’t have any words! The iconic Where’s Wally costume with red and white shirt, hat and glasses is – ironically enough – an incredibly distinctive costume! Just prepare your kids for the chorus of “there he is!” they’re sure to hear all day.

Although technically not from a book The Addams family originated from a series of cartoons. With the new Netflix series based on Wednesday, this Wednesday costume has become a must-have both for Halloween and fancy dress parties.

Get those spidey-senses tingling and ready to read with our favourite Spiderman costume for kids. No one will know if its Peter Parker or your child under the mask.

Looking for even more World Book Day inspiration? We have World Book Day costume ideas for teachers as well as World Book Day ideas for siblings!