World Book Day Costumes

World Book Day costumes – here are our recommendations and suggestions for cracking book character outfits for your child. We’ve tried to find fancy dress kits which closely match children’s books that are often read in the classroom (rather than film adaptations) for World Book Day events in primary schools. There are characters from popular children’s books by authors including Roald Dahl, Beatrix Potter, J.K. Rowling, J.M. Barrie and Lewis Carroll.

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Our recommended World Book Day costumes

Peter Rabbit Costume

Based on Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. Costume by Smiffys.

Peter Rabbit World Book Day Costume

Violet Beauregarde Costume

Based on the character from Charlie And The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Costume by Smiffys.

Violet Beauregarde Costume


Gangsta Granny Costume

Based on Gangsta Granny by David Walliams. Costume by Smiffys.

Gangsta Granny World Book Day Costume


Miss Trunchbull Costume

Based on the character from Matilda by Roald Dahl. Costume by Smiffys.

Miss Trunchbull Costume


Dalmatian Costume

Dalmation costume for children. The One Hundred and One Dalmations by Dodie Smith features Dalmations. Costume by Smiffys.

Dalmatian Costume

The BFG Costume

Based on the character from The BFG by Roald Dahl. Costume by Smiffys.

The BFG Costume


Newt Scamander costume

Based on the character from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by JK Rowling. Costume by Rubies.

Fantastic Beasts


Queen of Hearts Fairytale Fancy Dress Costume

Based on the character from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Costume by Smiffys.

Queen of Hearts Fairytale Fancy Dress Costume


White Rabbit Costume for World Book Day

Also based on a character from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Costume by Smiffys.

White Rabbit Costume for World Book Day


Charlie Bucket Fancy Dress Costume

Based on the character from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl. Costume by Smiffys.

Charlie Bucket Fancy Dress Costume


Evacuee Costume

Ideal for any evacuee book character. Books with evacuee characters include Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden, Friend or Foe by Michael Morpurgo and Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian. Costume by Smiffys.

Evacuee Costume


Dennis the Menace Fancy Dress

Based on the comic strip character featured in The Beano. Costume by Rubie’s.

Dennis the Menace Fancy Dress


Victorian Artful Dodger style Fancy Dress Costume

Suitable for the character from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Costume by Smiffys.

Artful Dodger Fancy Dress Costume


Mary Poppins costume

Based on the character from Mary Poppins by PL Travers. Costume by Rubie’s.

Mary Poppins costume


Alice World Book Day Fancy Dress Costume

Based on the character from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. Costume by Smiffys.

Alice World Book Day Fancy Dress Costume


Willy Wonka Costume

Based on the character from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl. Costume by Smiffys.

Willy Wonka Costume


Fantastic Mr Fox Costume

Based on the character from Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl. Costume by Smiffys.

Fantastic Mr Fox Costume


Matilda Costume

Based on the character from Matilda by Roald Dahl. Costume by Smiffys.

Matilda World Book Day Costume


Horrid Henry Fancy Dress

Based on the character from Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon. Costume by Rubie’s.

Horrid Henry Fancy Dress


Harry Potter Fancy Dress Costume

Based on the character from the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. Costume by Rubie’s.

Harry Potter Fancy Dress Costume


Tinkerbell Fairy Dress Costume

Based on the character from Peter Pan by JM Barrie. Costume by Rubie’s.

Tinkerbell Fairy Dress Costume


Robin Hood Fancy Dress

Based on the character from The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green. Costume by Smiffys.

Robin Hood Fancy Dress


Peter Pan Fancy Dress Costume

Based on the character from Peter Pan by JM Barrie.

Peter Pan Fancy Dress Costume


Superman Kids Fancy Dress

Based on the superhero character Superman featured in DC comics.

Superman Kids Fancy Dress


Mad Hatter Costume

Based on the character from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. A striking world book day costume.

Mad Hatter Costume


Where’s Wally Costume

Based on the character from the Where’s Wally series by Martin Handford. Costume by Smiffys.

Where's Wally Costume


Cheshire Cat World Book Day Costume

Based on the character from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

Cheshire Cat World Book Day Costume


Red Riding Hood Fancy Dress World Book Day Costume

Based on the character from children’s folktales. Modern retellings include The Complete Fairy Tales by Charles Perrault. Costume by Wicked Costumes.

Red Riding Hood Fancy Dress


Billionaire Boy Costume

Based on the character from Billionaire Boy by David Walliams. Costume by Smiffys.

Billionaire Boy Costume


Pinocchio Costume

Based on the character from Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Costume by Fun Shack.

Pinocchio Costume


Grandma Wolf Costume

Based on the character from Red Riding Hood. Modern retellings include The Complete Fairy Tales by Charles Perrault. Costume by Fun Shack.

Grandma Wolf Costume

Recommended children’s World Book Day costume manufacturers

All product images on this page are sourced from the costume manufacturers’ promotional material or served by Amazon.

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About Jan Tolkien

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Jan Tolkien is an educational consultant and literacy expert based in North Yorkshire with extensive experience in a wide variety of settings. A teacher with over 30 years as a classroom practitioner, she is also a reviewer of books for children, a copywriter, resource writer and a proofreader.

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This resource was last updated on January 17th, 2024 and first published in 2019.