Here are our top 10 imaginative World Book Day costume ideas for kids inspired by characters from lesser-known children's books:

  1. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch: Dress your child in a simple paper bag adorned with markers or paint to create a makeshift princess gown. Add a cardboard crown and a sash made from fabric or ribbon with the words "The Paper Bag Princess" for a regal touch.

  2. Pirate Blunderbeard by Amy Sparkes: Dress your child in pirate attire, complete with a striped shirt, vest, and trousers. Add accessories like a pirate hat, eyepatch, and plastic sword, and draw a comical beard and mustache with face paint for the perfect pirate look.

  3. Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty: Dress your child in a lab coat or white shirt paired with safety goggles and gloves. Add accessories like a magnifying glass, test tubes, and a clipboard for conducting scientific experiments.

  4. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt: Dress your child in all white and add colorful crayon cutouts made from construction paper or foam to represent the various crayon characters. Attach the crayons to the clothing with safety pins or adhesive, and add facial expressions and names to each crayon for added character.

  5. Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae: Dress your child in a giraffe onesie or yellow clothing and add giraffe spots using fabric paint or markers. Create a giraffe headpiece with ears and antlers using cardboard and brown felt, and encourage your child to dance and twirl with grace and confidence like Gerald.

  6. Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown: Dress your child in a tiger onesie or orange clothing and add tiger stripes using black fabric paint or markers. Create tiger ears and a tail using cardboard and orange felt, and encourage your child to embrace their wild side like Mr. Tiger.

  7. Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole: Dress your child in a princess gown and crown, but add a twist by incorporating elements of independence and rebellion. Add accessories like a sword, shield, and boots to create a princess who breaks the traditional mold.

  8. The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt: Dress your child as one of the characters from the book—Rock, Paper, or Scissors. Create costumes using cardboard and paint to resemble the characters, and add facial expressions and accessories to bring them to life.

  9. Pete the Cat by James Dean: Dress your child in blue clothing and add felt or fabric cutouts of Pete the Cat's signature shoes and groovy buttons. Create cat ears and whiskers using cardboard and black felt, and encourage your child to channel Pete's cool and laid-back attitude.

  10. Zog by Julia Donaldson: Dress your child in dragon-themed attire, complete with green or red clothing and dragon wings made from cardboard or fabric. Add a dragon tail and spikes using felt or fabric, and encourage your child to embrace their inner dragon and soar through the skies like Zog.

With these niche and imaginative costume ideas inspired by unique characters from lesser-known children's books, your child can step into the shoes of their favorite literary characters and embark on magical adventures on World Book Day. Embrace creativity, ignite imagination, and celebrate the power of books and storytelling with these fun and original costume ideas! See our full selection here:  https://acornandpip.com/collections/books-for-kids-at-acorn-pip

February 17, 2024 — Lucy Estherby