Make your life easy with these children’s book character costumes for teachers and adults to DIY. These costumes for storybook and novel characters can even be put together at the last minute to celebrate the holidays, like Halloween and Book Week. Kids love seeing their favorite characters come to life with these costumes, so get started now.
Easy Children’s Book Character Costumes for Females to DIY
TIPS
- I focused these adult book character costumes on dress-up ideas for female book characters that you are most likely to be taught in the classroom.
- I also focused on dress-up ideas that are more modest in appearance.
- Most of these components of these costume ideas are from Amazon so you can quickly and easily shop.
Storybook Character Costumes
Eloise at the Plaza
This Eloise costume helps you dress like the mischievous 6-year-old “city child” from Eloise at Plaza. It includes her classic black, white, and pink aesthetic.
Junie B. Jones
Since Junie B. Jones is a sassy and spunky kindergartener and first grader, her cute ensemble works best for teachers of these grade levels.
Wear the basics or add some extras to look just like the young protagonist.
Madeline
This Madeline costume makes it so easy for you to dress as the classic children’s literary character. It includes items that may already be in your closet.
Olivia the Pig
This Olivia the Pig costume is cute and comfortable to wear around young children. They love this charming early readers’ character.
Pippi Longstocking
Pippi Longstocking is oh, so quirky. Kids love her mismatched look and sideways bangs, so have fun with this costume.
Novella/Novel Character Costumes
Anne of Green Gables
“Kindred spirits” will love this Anne of Green Gables costume. Women can dress as the late 1800s imaginative orphan girl in Canada.
Coraline
This Coraline costume is a popular choice that would be especially great to wear on a cold or rainy day on which you are doing outdoor activities.
Fern Arable
This Fern Arable Costume is for fans of the children’s classic Charlotte’s Web. It helps you pay homage to the young girl who saved Wilbur the pig, Wilbur, and Wilbur’s wise spider friend, Charlotte, who spun miraculous webs.
Hermione Granger
Calling all wizards! This costume celebrates Harry Potter’s best friend, Hermione Granger.
This female Hogwarts uniform costume is specially curated so that it can be pulled from your closet and/or re-worn in real life.
Kirsten Larson
Turn time back to the pioneer days with this Kirsten Larson (American Girl) costume. It re-creates the nostalgic look of the beloved historical doll and book series.
Molly McIntire
Teach students about World War II with this Molly McIntire (American Girl) costume. It’s so timelss you just may wear these pieces again. I did!
Nancy Drew
This Nancy Drew costume helps you dress conservatively.
Just add some investigatory accessories, like a magnifying glass, and start cracking cases with kids.
Samantha Parkington
Turn time back to the Victorian days with this Samantha Parkington (American Girl) costume. It re-creates the feminine look of the beloved historical doll and book series.
Frequently Asked Questions
For World Book Day, easy costume ideas include classic characters like Harry Potter, where you can use a wand and glasses, or a Sherlock Holmes look with a trench coat and a magnifying glass. These options are also very recognizable.
For a last-minute World Book Day costume, consider a character like Madeline with a blue dress and straw hat or a Where’s Waldo look with a striped shirt and hat. Both are easy to assemble with items you likely have at home.
For World Book Day without a costume, consider a character that wears everyday clothes you already one. You can dress as Diary of a Wimpy Kid’s Greg Heffley by wearing a white T-shirt, black shorts, a backpack, and sneakers.
More Children’s Book Character Costume Ideas for Adults
Get more literary costume ideas for Halloween, Book Week, and beyond.
remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules
