Easy book week costume ideas!

Book week is an exciting time for kids!

For young book lovers, it's a chance to celebrate their favourite stories. For others, it might just spark a new love for reading.

For parents, though, Book Week often means one thing: costume stress. What would a caterpillar wear? How much crafting is involved? Will it survive the school day? We've all been there...

The good news? Book Week costumes don't have to be complicated. We've rounded up some easy costume ideas inspired by much-loved children's books, so you can spend less time crafting and more time enjoying the fun!

Scroll on for simple Book Week inspiration:

• Hairy Maclary
• Bluey
• Lottie Brooks
• Emma Memma
• The Witch of Maketu
• Matilda
• The BFG
• Percy Jackson
• Green Sheep (Where is The Green Sheep?)
• Greg Heffley (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

Hairy Maclary

© Puffin BOOKS uk 

This costume is paw-fect for Book Week!

What you'll need:

• Black longsleeve and black pants
• Black headband ears (if you have them handy) or you can DIY using black felt sheets, a plastic headband and hot glue gun
• A black bow tie with a Hairy Maclary red name tag
• Your best face-painting skills! 

Bluey

Bluey isn’t just a TV character, she’s also the star of the Bluey books.

Thankfully, there are enough Bluey reads to yield several easy costume ideas for book week. Whether your kiddo wants to dress up like one of the Heeler sisters, Bob Bilby or Queen Chilli, these 7 ideas are sure to delight.

Click here for 7 awesome Bluey book week costumes.

(Psst . . . if you’re in a rut and already have a Bluey costume on hand, we suggest simply completing the look with a book. Costume sorted! 😉 )

Emma Memma

If your little one is obsessed with Emma Memma, you simply can’t go wrong with this easy costume.

With butterflies in their hair, this costume will make your kid the star of the book parade.

What you’ll need

• Pink shirt
• Orange dress
• Pink and orange craft paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• 2 pipe cleaners
• 2 bobby pins or barrettes
• Hot glue (with parental supervision)

What to do

• The base of this outfit is easy. Simply layer the pink shirt under the orange dress.
• To make the butterflies, use the craft paper. Cut out:
  • Four orange circles
  • Four slightly smaller pink circles
  • A butterfly body
• Assemble the butterflies by gluing the circles to the butterfly body.
• Cut each pipe cleaner in half, then cut each half again to make 4 antennas.
• Glue the antennas to the top of the butterfly.
• Use hot glue to adhere the butterflies to bobby pins or barrettes.
• On the day of the book parade, curl your hair, slip on the outfit, and carry the book in hand to show off your best Emma Memma look.

Matilda

Who better to dress up as for book week than the book-loving Matilda?

With just a few basics, you’ll have the Matilda costume of your dreams – including, of course, plenty of books.

What you’ll need:

• Blue dress
• Red ribbon
• Books, including Matilda (of course!)
• Wagon, book bag or backpack for carrying books

What to do:

• Put on the blue dress.
• Tie the red ribbon around your head like a headband, preferably with a bow on top.
• Because Matilda loves reading, the goal is to bring as many books as possible. Load them into a wagon, or stuff your book bag/backpack full to the brim with your favourite books. Bonus points for including Matilda.

Percy Jackson

If your child is a fan of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, then you can’t go wrong with a Percy-inspired book week costume.

Despite being a demigod, Percy – thankfully – wears average pre-teen garb, making this costume an easy one to replicate.

What you’ll need:

• Orange T-shirt
• Printable iron-on transfer paper (optional)
• Jeans
• Sneakers

What to do:

• If using iron-on transfer paper, print a ‘Camp Half-Blood Logo’ onto your iron-on paper.
  • You can find several options by Googling ‘Camp Half-Blood logo’.
  • You can also design your own Camp Half-Blood logo on a free design tool, such as Canva.
• Following the iron-on transfer paper instructions, apply the logo to the front of your orange T-shirt.
• On the day of the book parade, wear your shirt, jeans, sneakers and carry a copy of your favourite Percy Jackson book.

Lottie Brooks

© Puffin BOOKS uk 

If they can't get enough of the Lottie Brooks series, this fun and colourful costume is sure to be a hit for Book Week!

What you'll need:

• A plain white hoodie - feel free to use fabric markers to draw colourful doodles inspired by Lottie's diary
• Layer on a beanie, scarf and ski googles to capture Lottie's ski trip look in The Seriously Epic Holiday of Lottie Brooks
• Add a KitKat Chunky for a fun touch!

What to do:

• Put your hair in a pony tail just like Lottie's -- or cut out and draw a paper mask like the above image! 

The BFG

Enter the fantastical world of Roald Dahl by choosing to dress your child up as The BFG this book week! Perfect for older kids in grades 4 to 6, this costume looks incredible with very little work required. 

What you’ll need:

• Green pants
• Long-sleeved white top
• Red or brown tunic (any oversized, short-sleeved top cut down the middle will do)
• Brown belt
• Cut out BFG ears from cardboard

What to do:

• If making your tunic from a t-shirt, start with that.
• Once you have your tunic ready, it’s time to get dressed.
• This costume requires layering, so start with the long pants and long-sleeved top.
• Add the tunic and fasten around the waist with the belt.
• Add the BFG ears, and the look is complete!

Green Sheep

Everyone loves the green sheep! And thankfully, it makes for a very easy-to-make book week costume. 

What you’ll need:

• Printable mask found here
• Green shirt
• Green pants
• Any fluffy, green accessories you can find

What to do:

• Print the mask on green paper, and glue it to a stick for a hand-held mask.
• Dress in the green shirt and pants.
• Add your green accessories and bring a copy of Where is The Green Sheep?

Greg Heffley

In Partypooper, book twenty of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series from internationally bestselling author Jeff Kinney, Greg Heffley's birthday celebrations quickly spiral into chaos.

With a few wardrobe staples and some acting skills, you can emulate this famously funny protagonist easily.

What you’ll need:

• White t-shirt
• Shorts or jeans
• Trainers
• Backpack
• A party hat!

What to do:

• Dress up in your Greg-inspired outfit of a t-shirt, jeans and trainers.
• Add your backpack – bonus points if Partypooper: Diary of a Wimpy Kid is peeking out.
• Put on your best party hat, walk with a slouch, and you’re basically Greg!

The Witch of Maketu

If you already have a witches hat from previous Halloween dress-ups, why not dress up as Aotearoa's favourite witch! This is a simple and fun NZ take on a witch costume. 

What you’ll need:

• Purple dress
• A pointy witches hat
• Jandals
• A mop
• Ribbon
• Some foliage from your garden

What to do:

• Decorate your witches hat by tying a ribbon around the bottom of the hat, just before the brim. Tuck your choice of foilage into the ribbon (use some tape to secure if you need)
• Pop on a dress, your jandals and your hat, accessorise with a mop and you're good to go!