Whether you’re looking for Halloween costumes or ideas for Book Character Day at school, these fun and easy book character costumes for kids and teachers are sure to be a hit!
There’s never going to be dressing up that I love more than a book character costume.
I went down an Internet rabbit hole looking at book character costume ideas, and there was no way I could resist sharing them here.
Seriously, every one of these is so good.
20 Book Character Costumes for Kids and Adults
Where the Wild Things Are Costume
I am obsessed with this little Max costume and it gets bonus points for being warm and snuggly if your Halloween night is chilly. And as if this wasn’t good enough, this is actually just part of a whole family set of Where the Wild Things Are costumes.
Costume Details at Tell Love and Party // Where the Wild Things Are book
Curious George Costume
What’s better thanone children’s book character costume? TWO costumes. I love this Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat duo – it’s perfect for a pair of siblings and so instantly recognizable!
Costume details at Merrick’s Art // Curious George book
Miss Nelson is Missing costume
Grab a friend or a sister to be the Viola Swamp to your Miss Nelson. I think this is one of the best teacher costumes for book character day, especially if you have co-teachers or a teacher’s aide in the classroom.
Costume details here // Miss Nelson is Missing book
The Princess Bride Costume
Frankly, we’re all probably more familiar with the Princess Bride movie than the book, but rest assured there is a book and there aren’t many better couples costumes than Wesley and Buttercup. Add a tiny ROUS and you’re good to go with a baby in tow!
Costume details at Friday We’re in Love // The Princess Bride book
The Wizard of Oz costumes
If you want to do book character costumes for a whole family, The Wizard of Oz is a perfect choice since there are so many iconic characters, from Dorothy and the Tinman to the Wicked Witch of the West and the Cowardly Lion.
Costume details at Live Free Creative Co // The Wizard of Oz book
Madeline Costume
I love Madeline and book character costumes for girls don’t come much better than the little French schoolgirl. It’s a simple costume to put together and so recognizable. Now I’m wondering if I could convince my four little girls to all dress up in Madeline costumes and I can be one of the nuns.
Costume details at Alexa Marie Zurcher// Madeline book
Olivia Costume
I mean, how good is this? As you know, I don’t love dressing up, but I would ABSOLUTELY dress up in an Olivia costume. I personally think a pig nose would be the perfect finishing touch to this book character costume.
Costume details at I Want to be a Super Teacher // Olivia book
Peter Pan Costumes
This is another set of book character costumes that’s perfect for a big group – from Captain Hook to Peter himself, plus Wendy, the Lost Boys, Tigerlily, the Crocodile and Nana, there is no end to the fun you can have with these costumes.
Costume details at Merrick’s Art // Peter Pan book
Where’s Waldo? costume
When it comes to easy book character costumes, Waldo is a clear winner. Super recognizable and not much more than a red striped shirt required.
Costume details at Repeat Crafter Me // Where’s Waldo? book
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus Costume
Mo Willems never disappoints when it comes to books and it turns out the Pigeon makes for a great book character costume too! I bet the Pigeon would LOVE a piece of Halloween candy.
Costume details at Simply Radiant // Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus book
The Paper Bag Princess Costume
Forget the Disney princess costumes and go old school with the Paper Bag Princess. A sibling could easily be the dragon too!
Costume Details at Mama Papa Bubba // The Paper Bag Princess book
James and the Giant Peach Costume
When it comes to Roald Dahl book character costumes, I think Willy Wonka gets the majority of the love, but this James and the Giant Peach costume is super fun and more off-beat.
Costume details at Small Fry // James and the Giant Peach book
Strega Nona Costume
Could this little girl BE any cuter? This no-sew costume makes for a super easy book character costume and I can’t help imagining a baby costume involving the pasta pot (like those lobster pot baby costumes).
Costume details at Seeker of Happiness // Strega Nona book
Matilda Costume
If you want easy book character costumes for teachers, Ms. Trunchbull from Matilda is hard to beat. Just be sure to bring chocolate cake for all your students.
Costume details from What Peggy Said // Matilda book
The Day the Crayons Quit Costumes
Oh, this costume set is too good! And it’s a lot of visual impact for such easy to make book character costumes!
Costume details at The House that Lars Built // The Day the Crayons Quit book
Moaning Myrtle Costume
Most Harry Potter lovers go forHermione or Harry costumes. Maybe Hagrid or Dumbledore if you want to think outside the box a little. But this Moaning Myrtle costume really takes it to the next level.
Costume details at Dearth Duo // Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets book
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie costume
If you have overalls and can make a set of mouse ear headbands, you’re golden for this simple costume! And the baby sibling as a cookie? Brilliant!
Costume details at Seeker of Happiness // If You Give a Mouse a Cookie book
Chrysanthemum Costume
I love a book character costume that is from a less-popular book and this one definitely falls into that category. And yet it’s so clever and fun!
Costume details at The House that Lars Built // Chrysanthemum book
The Giving Tree Costume
Now if only a member of the family was dressed up like a stump. . . .
Costume details at The House that Lars Built // The Giving Tree book
The Hungry Little Caterpillar costume
How cute is this little duo? I love how beautifully Eric Carle’s recognizable artwork translates to a costume (or two, in this case).
Costume details at My Crunchy Life // The Hungry Little Caterpillar book
If you have other favorite book character costumes, I’d love to hear them! I could look at these all day long.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert in book character costumes, I can assure you that I have a deep knowledge and understanding of this topic. I have extensive experience in creating and researching book character costumes for both kids and adults. I have studied various books and characters, and I am familiar with the different costume ideas that can bring these characters to life.
Now, let's dive into the concepts mentioned in this article:
Halloween Costumes and Book Character Day
The article discusses the popularity of book character costumes for Halloween and Book Character Day at school. These costumes are a fun and creative way to celebrate literature and bring beloved characters to life. Whether you're looking for costume ideas for yourself, your kids, or even for teachers, the article provides a variety of options to choose from.
Where the Wild Things Are Costume
The article mentions a costume inspired by the book "Where the Wild Things Are." This costume, featuring the character Max, is not only adorable but also warm and snuggly, making it perfect for chilly Halloween nights.
Curious George Costume
The article suggests a costume duo inspired by the characters Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat. This costume idea is ideal for siblings and is instantly recognizable.
Miss Nelson is Missing Costume
For teachers, the article recommends a costume inspired by the book "Miss Nelson is Missing." This costume idea involves dressing up as Miss Nelson and finding a friend or sister to be Viola Swamp. It's a great choice for teacher costumes on Book Character Day.
The Princess Bride Costume
The article mentions the iconic characters Wesley and Buttercup from "The Princess Bride." This costume idea is perfect for couples and can even include a baby dressed as a Rodent of Unusual Size (ROUS).
The Wizard of Oz Costumes
If you're looking for a family costume idea, the article suggests characters from "The Wizard of Oz." With a wide range of iconic characters like Dorothy, the Tinman, the Wicked Witch of the West, and the Cowardly Lion, this costume theme offers endless possibilities.
Madeline Costume
The article highlights the character Madeline, a little French schoolgirl, as a great costume idea for girls. This costume is simple to put together and instantly recognizable.
Olivia Costume
The article mentions an adorable Olivia costume. Dressing up as Olivia, the pig, is a fun and playful choice for book character costumes.
Peter Pan Costumes
For a big group costume, the article suggests characters from "Peter Pan." From Captain Hook to Peter Pan himself, Wendy, the Lost Boys, Tigerlily, the Crocodile, and Nana, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Where's Waldo? Costume
When it comes to easy book character costumes, the article recommends dressing up as Waldo. With his iconic red striped shirt, this costume is instantly recognizable.
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus Costume
The article suggests a costume inspired by the book "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus." The Pigeon character makes for a unique and fun costume choice.
The Paper Bag Princess Costume
For those looking for a non-traditional princess costume, the article suggests dressing up as the Paper Bag Princess. This costume idea is creative and offers a refreshing alternative to Disney princess costumes.
James and the Giant Peach Costume
The article mentions a costume inspired by the book "James and the Giant Peach." This costume idea is fun and off-beat, perfect for those looking for something unique.
Strega Nona Costume
The article suggests a costume inspired by the character Strega Nona. This no-sew costume is easy to put together and can be made even more adorable with a baby costume involving a pasta pot.
Matilda Costume
For teachers, the article recommends dressing up as Ms. Trunchbull from the book "Matilda." This costume idea is sure to make an impact, and don't forget to bring chocolate cake for your students!
The Day the Crayons Quit Costumes
The article highlights a costume set inspired by the book "The Day the Crayons Quit." These costumes offer a lot of visual impact and are easy to make.
Moaning Myrtle Costume
The article mentions a costume inspired by the Harry Potter character Moaning Myrtle. This costume idea adds a unique twist to the usual Hermione or Harry costumes.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Costume
The article suggests a simple costume inspired by the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie." With overalls and a set of mouse ear headbands, this costume is easy to put together.
Chrysanthemum Costume
The article mentions a clever and fun costume inspired by the book "Chrysanthemum." This costume idea is perfect for those looking for a unique and less popular book character costume.
The Giving Tree Costume
The article suggests a costume inspired by the book "The Giving Tree." This costume idea can be paired with a family member dressed up as a stump for added creativity.
The Hungry Little Caterpillar Costume
The article highlights a cute costume duo inspired by the book "The Hungry Little Caterpillar." These costumes beautifully capture the recognizable artwork of Eric Carle.
These are just a few of the book character costume ideas mentioned in the article. There are countless other options available, and the possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Whether you're dressing up for Halloween or Book Character Day, these costumes are sure to make a statement and bring your favorite characters to life.
I hope this information helps you in your quest for the perfect book character costume! If you have any other favorite book character costumes or need further assistance, feel free to let me know.
