Book Week costumes 2024
Bring your favourite book character to life with these crafty ideas.
Book Week is a time for celebrating stories and characters that ignite our imaginations, and what better way to do so than by creating DIY costumes inspired by Penguin Kids books?
The theme for Book Week 2024, which officially kicks off from August 17 to August 23, is ‘Reading is Magic’. This theme celebrates the amazing power of stories to transport our minds – a perfect fit for the much-loved books from Penguin Kids, listed below.
Penguin Kids books offer a wide range of beloved stories, from Bluey to Willy Wonka’s whimsical world, perfect for inspiring creative and fun costumes.
Here are 10 easy costume ideas for your child’s Book Week, all inspired by Penguin Kids.
10 easy Book Week costume ideas
Bluey from Bluey: Fairytale
In Bluey: Fairytale, Bandit tells Bluey and Bingo a real-life fairytale about a mean brother, a curse and a princess. It’s set a long, long time ago in a place called the 80s.
DIY Bluey costume: Creating a Bluey costume is super easy and fun! Start with the free mask available on the Bluey website, then dress your child head-to-toe in blue. It’s a simple and perfect way to bring Bluey to life!
Suitable for: Perfect for any age, after all who doesn’t love Bluey?
The Green Sheep from Where is the Green Sheep?
A cuddly cloth book edition of Where is the Green Sheep? is the perfect way for babies to discover all the fun of looking for everyone’s favourite green sheep!
DIY Green Sheep costume: Start with a plain green shirt and pants and then add some fluffy green fabric or a green feather boa for the sheep’s woolly texture. Finish the look with a headband featuring sheep ears made from green felt.
Suitable for: Celebrating Book Week at preschool or daycare? This costume is ideal for tiny tots to kindergarteners.
The fart from Happy Farter’s Day
This funny picture book of Dad and fart jokes from Zoë Foster Blake is the perfect gift for kids to give to Dad and share a giggle together on Father’s Day.
DIY fart costume: Cut out a cloud shape from a large piece of light brown cardboard and glue cotton balls or stuffing onto it to make it fluffy. Then, secure it around your child’s waist with elastic or a belt. As a final addition add a little face paint to blush their cheeks.
Suitable for: Primary school students will find this costume hilarious.
The Hungry Caterpillar from The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First 100 Animals
Learn your first 100 animals with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this chunky lift-the-flap board book.
DIY Hungry Caterpillar costume: Dress your child in a green shirt and pants. Attach small green balloons or pom-poms to the shirt for the caterpillar’s body. Create antennae with brown pipe cleaners or craft wire on a headband. Add painted eyes on the forehead or use green sunglasses to finish the costume.
Suitable for: As this book is a favourite for toddlers and young kids, anyone from ages 2 to 6 years old would love this costume.
Alice Miranda from Alice-Miranda in Egypt
The Queen’s Colours leadership program is heading to Egypt and Alice-Miranda and her friends are thrilled. There are hidden tombs to explore, a new culture to experience and a lot to learn about the country’s ancient past.
DIY Alice-Miranda costume: Need a last-minute costume? Alice-Miranda’s look is easy to pull-off with a school uniform and a pink hairband, or dress as Alice-Miranda in Egypt by using a wide-brimmed sunhat, pink scarf and a white dress with tights underneath.
Suitable for: Alice-Miranda books are loved by 7-to-10-year-olds.
The Wimpy Kid from Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer (Book 18)
In No Brainer – book 18 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series from #1 international bestselling author Jeff Kinney – it’s up to Greg to save his crumbling school before it’s shuttered for good.
DIY Wimpy Kid costume: The Wimpy Kid, otherwise known as Greg Heffley, is a simple one to pull together. Start with a long-sleeve white t-shirt and neutral pants. Use a black marker to draw Greg Heffley’s stick-figure face on the shirt and add stick-figure arms and legs if you like. For extra detail, your child can carry a backpack and wear glasses.
Suitable for: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are a hit for kids from ages 8 to 12.
Percy Jackson from Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Book 1)
Percy Jackson’s life has gone from totally normal to monsters-from-Greek-mythology-randomly-appearing kind of strange. Worse still, the king of the gods thinks Percy has stolen his all-powerful lightning bolt. Now Percy and his friends have just 10 days to catch the true lightning thief and stop all-out war from erupting on Mount Olympus.
DIY Percy Jackson costume: For a quick Percy Jackson costume, wear an orange t-shirt or hoodie with blue jeans and sneakers. Add a Camp Half-Blood logo on a t-shirt or cap and carry a pen or toy sword to represent Percy’s sword, Riptide (Anaklusmos), and you’re set!
Suitable for: Primary school kids around age 8 to 12 will love dressing up as Percy Jackson.
Wonka or Matilda from author Roald Dahl
Wonka
The story of where Wonka began – WONKA tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker becomes the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.
DIY Wonka costume: Dress your little Wonka in a purple velvet suit with a white shirt, topped with a purple hat. Add black dress shoes and complete the look with a carry cane.
Suitable for: Whether you’re a preschooler or in primary school, you’re never too young or old for a Wonka costume.
Matilda
Matilda, a brilliant child with a magical mind, faces neglect from her parents and bullying from her headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. Despite this, she discovers her own power to show everyone how extraordinary children can be.
DIY Matilda costume: To dress as Matilda, have your child wear a blue dress with a white collar, paired with white knee-high socks or tights and black shoes. Tie her hair with a red ribbon or bow, and have her carry a book.
Suitable for: Tiny tots to teens will love dressing up as Roald Dahl’s Matilda.
Friday Barnes from Friday Barnes 12: Collision Course
Friday Barnes is Europe’s most wanted in this latest instalment of the bestselling detective series.
DIY Friday Barnes costume: To create a Friday Barnes costume, wear a yellow and white striped shirt paired with a brown cardigan or dark-coloured blazer. Add blue jeans and red shoes. Style your daughter’s hair into pigtails and top it off with a pork pie hat.
Suitable for: The Friday Barnes series is perfect for kids aged between 8 and 14.
Mackenzie Arnold from Mackenzie Arnold 1: Finders Keepers
Meet star goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold as a kid and follow her football and friendship adventures.
Friday Barnes is Europe’s most wanted in this latest instalment of the bestselling detective series.
DIY Mackenzie Arnold costume: Dress your little soccer fan in a purple t-shirt with number 18 painted on the back, add white shorts, soccer socks, and sneakers.
Add a pair of goalkeeper gloves and you’re good to go!
Suitable for: Any age! You’re never too young or too old to support your favourite sports star!
Brought to you by Penguin Kids.
