World Book Day will be taking place on Thursday 7 March 2024. This annual celebration of authors, illustrators, books and the joy of reading is definitely something we look forward to each year!

If your child doesn’t like dressing up but doesn’t want to miss out on the fun, here is a list of suggestions that keep the fancy dress to a minimum and also work for last minute suggestions.


Some Suggestions:

World Book day cartoon/illustration of teacher reading to pupils.

• Black top, jeans and a backpack for Diary of a Wimpy Kid
• Normal clothes (or normal school uniform) and a frown for Horrid Henry
• Blue jeans and red top for George from George’s Marvellous Medicine
• White T-shirt, Black Leggings and hair in bunches for Amber Brown is Not a Crayon
• Wear all black, you’re Peter Pan’s shadow!
• Find a top/t-shirt with their favourite character on rather than dressing up.
• And if all else fails, just be a Muggle from Harry Potter with minimal accessories and normal clothes
• Grab a bucket and some plastic dinosaurs, just wear normal clothes for Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs
• Wear a red hairband and dress with white ankle socks, you’re Matilda
• Make a Golden Ticket for them to carry… Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• Grey Trousers, a White Top and a wad of (fake) cash- try monopoly money for Billionaire Boy
• Brown clothes and grab a few sticks for Stick Man
• Red T-Shirt and Brown or Yellow Troursers, stick some cardboard ears on a headband for Winnie The Pooh
• A Pink Headscarf and a pencil for Malala’s Magic Pencil
Dressing up from things you have at home
• Pyjamas and dressing gown for Tom or George from The Midnight Gang, or for The Polar Express
• Pyjamas and wide framed glasses (take the glass out an old pair of sunglasses) transform you into Sophie from the BFG
• A Princess Dress for any princess!


What if I/my child…

cartoon/illustration of a stack of books.

…Doesn’t have a book to share?

Try a costume that invites recommendations – a t-shirt with post-it notes or one you don’t mind being written on.

…Doesn’t like dressing up?

Keep it simple with a character who wears  every day clothes, by focussing on a prop, or by using a badge instead.

…Likes non-fiction?

Focus on what they like – could they share a fact, or the subject matter, or do they want to focus on the author?

…Aren’t any good at crafting?

Stick to everyday clothes and add small details to focus on key elements of the character – hats, ears, sticking things on t-shirts etc.