A Complete Guide to Book Week 2023
Read, Grow, Inspire
The time has come… The Children’s Book Council of Australia has officially announced their theme for Book Week 2023!
So, what is the Book Week theme for 2023? Drum roll please...
READ, GROW, INSPIRE
Shop the full range of Book Week costumes here.
As it does every year, this theme is guaranteed to leave parents asking, what can kids wear for Book Week 2023?
Well, we’re here to take an in-depth look at the theme, the books and the costumes to give you some incredible Book Week costume ideas!
Let’s get started…
Any character that has graced the pages of a book falls into this category! From the classic stories written by Roald Dahl and Dr Seuss to everyone’s favourite fairy tale princesses, Harry Potter characters and a very well hidden man named Wally, you have endless Book Week costumes to choose from. Check out our tables below for some incredible Read inspired Books to draw inspiration from when thinking of costume idea's for teachers and kids!
Roald Dahl’s Greatest Stories
Roald Dahl brings readers of all ages into a world of magic and mischief. From James and the Giant Peach, The Witches, to Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, there is no shortage of imaginative stories from the beloved author that are perfect for drawing inspiration from for Book Week costumes.
Roald Dahl Books
| The BFG | Matilda | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Fantastic Mr. Fox |
| The Twits | James and the Giant Peach | The Witches | The Enormous Crocodile |
Roald Dahl Book Week Dress Up Ideas: The BFG, Matilda Wormwood, Miss Trunchbull, Willy Wonka, Charlie Bucket, Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Oompa Loompas, Mr. Fox, Mrs Twit, Mr Twit, The Grand High Witch, Enormus Crocodile.
The Best of Dr Seuss
Welcome to the wild, wonderful world of Dr Seuss! Whether you’re a fan of The Cat in the Hat or The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, stepping into this imaginary domain, will ensure you have a fantastic 2023 Book Week costume!
Dr Seuss Books
| The Cat in the Hat | How the Grinch Stole Christmas | Horton Hears a Who! |
| Fox in Socks | Oh, the Places You'll Go! | The Lorax |
Dr Seuss Book Week Character Costumes: The Cat in the Hat, Thing One, Thing Two, The Grinch, Cindy Lou Who, Horton, Mr Knox, Mr Fox, The Lorax.
Stories Everyone Remembers
For generations, these stories have enchanted imaginations and delighted readers. From beloved characters like Peter Rabbit to magical quests like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the stories everyone remembers are some of the most iconic works of literature ever created. Exploring characters from classic stories is a great way to find the perfect costume for Book Week!
Everyone's Favourite Books
| Mary Poppins | The Gruffalo | The Princess Bride | Sherlock Holmes | The Very Hungry Caterpillar |
| Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | Pippi Longstocking | Charlotte's Web | Where the Wild Things Are | Goodnight Moon |
| The Hobbit | The Secret Garden | The Tale of Peter Rabbit | Oliver Twist | The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe |
Classic Book Week Costumes: Mary Poppins, Bert, Michael and Jane Banks, Buttercup, Inigo Montoya, Westley, Sherlock Holmes, Hungry Caterpillar, Alice Kingsleigh, The Queen of Hearts, The Mad Hatter, Tweedledee, Tweedledum, The White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Pippi Longstocking, Charlotte, Wilbur, Max, Bunny, Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Gollum, Frodo Baggins, Mary Lennox, Colin Craven, Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Tom Kitten, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, Oliver Twist, Aslan, Lucy Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Peter Pevensie, Mr Tumnus, The White Witch, Billy Goats Gruff, Three Little Pigs, Room on the Broom, Stickman, The Highway Rat, Gumnut Baby.
Fairy Tale Favourites
Get ready to enter a world of make-believe and dress as one of your favourite fairytale characters this Book Week! With classic fairy tales full of adventure and imagination like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and The Little Mermaid, you are spoilt for choice in the fairytale Book Week category! You could even fly to Neverland with Peter Pan or take a walk down the Yellow Brick road as one of your favourite Wizard Of Oz characters if you wanted to!
Fairytale Books
| Cinderella | Little Red Riding Hood | Snow White | Aladdin | Sleeping Beauty |
| The Adventures of Pinocchio | Rapunzel | The Princess and the Frog | Hansel and Gretel | Beauty and the Beast |
| Peter Pan and Wendy | The Hundred and One Dalmatians | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | The Little Mermaid | The Snow Queen |
Fairytale Book Week Costume Ideas: Cinderella, Lady Tremaine, Fairy Godmother, Anastasia, Drizella, Little Red Riding Hood, Granny, The Big Bad Wolf, Snow White, The Evil Queen, The Huntsman, The Seven Dwarfs, Aladdin, Genie, Jasmine, Jafar, Aurora, Maleficent, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, Geppeto, Rapunzel, Mother Gothel, Tiana, Dr Facilier, Hansel, Gretel, Belle, The Beast, Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, Cruella, 101 Dalmatians, Dorothy, The Tin Man, The Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, The Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda, Ariel, Prince Eric, Ursula, King Triton.
The Magical World of Harry Potter
From the moment you step through Platform 9 ¾, you are immersed in the magical Wizarding World! Why not dress as your favourite Harry Potter character for Book Week? There are endless possibilities, no matter the house you call home: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff... or Slytherin!
Harry Potter Books
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire |
| Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows | Harry Potter and the Cursed Child |
| Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | Fantastic Beasts The Crimes of Grindelwald | Fantastic Beasts The Secrets of Dumbledore | The Tales of Beedle The Bard |
Wizarding World Harry Potter Costume Ideas: Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Professor Snape, Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Ginny Weasley, Hagrid, Dobby the House Elf, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, George Weasley, Fred Weasley, Moaning Myrtle, Lord Voldemort, Lucious Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Newt Scamander, Grindlewald, Queenie Goldstein, Tina Goldstein, Jacob Kowalski.
Finding Wally and His Friends
Ah, the challenge of finding Wally and his friends! A timeless classic that just about anyone can enjoy! Whether you’re a child seeking adventure with Where’s Wally themed costumes for Book Week, or a teacher looking for a fun costume to wear that your students will love, Waldo and his friends Odlaw and Wenda are great Book Week costume ideas!
Where's Wally Books
| Where's Wally? | Where's Wally Now? | Where's Wally? The Fantastic Journey | Where's Wally in Hollywood? |
| Where's Wally? The Wonder Book | Where's Wally? The Great Picture Hunt! | Where's Wally? The Incredible Paper Chase | Where's Wally? Santa Spectacular |
Where's Wally Costumes for Book Week: Wally (Waldo), Odlaw, Wizard Whitebeard, Woof, Wenda, Wilma.
From occupations like firemen and doctors, to animals such as bears or dinosaurs, there are plenty of unique book week costume options that can fit into the Grow category! When we think of growth, we think of things that kids aspire to be, things that make them to use their imagination, even things that teach them important life lessons, like animals.
When I Grow Up, I Want to Be
Do you remember being a kid and dreaming of what you wanted to be when you grew up? Surgeons, astronauts, police, the possibilities in the when I grow up category are endless! Anything that your little one aspires to be can become a fantastic Book Week costume! After all, ‘when I grow up I want to be…’ is an exciting statement that helps kids imagine living out different dreams for the future.
Occupation Themed Books
| That's Not My Fire Engine | Flashing Fire Engines | Patrolling Police Cars | I want to be a Police Officer | Lil' Army Soldier |
| A Day in the Life of an Astronaut, Mars and the Distant Stars | Grandpa was and Astronaut | Ada Twist, Scientist | Doctor Maisy | The Berenstain Bears Go To the Doctor |
| When I'm A Surgeon | There Was an Old Sailor | The Little Sailors ABCs | Nurse Nancy | Zoo Keeper for a Day |
Book Week Occupation Costume Ideas: Firefighter, Police Officer, Army Officer, Astronaut, Scientist, Doctor, Nurse, Surgeon, Sailor, Zoo Keeper, Construction Worker, Pilot, Vet.
Animals in the Wild
Book week is the perfect time for kids to highlight their interest in the animal kingdom. After all, every animal has graced the pages of a book at one point in time! From woodland creatures and safari-inspired looks to underwater titans and prehistoric giants, there are so many unique animal costume ideas for kids to choose from!
Animal Themed Books
| The Cow Tripped Over The Moon | How the Zebra Got Its Stripes | Angry Octopus | Grumpy Monkey | Great White Shark | The Sloth Who Came to Stay |
| Malu Kangaroo | Little Lamb's New Friends | Where's Mr Lion? | The Tiger Who Came to Tea | We're Going on a Bear Hunt | Koala Ark |
| The Lucky Snow Leopard | A Giraffe in the Bath | Harry Saves the Ocean | Crunch Munch Dinosaur Lunch! | Ocean Animal Atlas | The Australian Animal Atlas |
Book Week Animal Costumes: Wolf, Flamingo, Ladybug, Zebra, Cow, Octopus, Monkey, Sloth, Bat, Shark, Reindeer, Kangaroo, Lamb, Lion, Tiger, Bear, Koala, Pig, Elephant, Butterfly, Rabbit, Cat, Leopard, Giraffe, Dog, Hippopotamus, Mouse, Panda Bear, Dinosaur, Chicken, Penguin, Seahorse, Narwhal, Octopus, Flamingo, Llama.
Whether they dream of being superheroes, villains, gaming characters or travelling back in time to medieval eras - the skies the limit for creating inspired book week costumes! With such an array of books to choose from, anyone can transform into their favourite literacy character and bring to life myths, legends and stories from around the world. Let your kids’ imagination run wild and prepare for an unforgettable Book Week adventure!
Superheroes and Troublesome Villains
Book week just wouldn’t be complete without the dramatic entrance of everyone’s favourite comic book heroes and their troublesome villains! Superheroes and villains have been a staple in children’s literature forever! With the incredible popularity of Marvel and DC Comics, there is no shortage of memorable characters to draw inspiration from for Book Week 2023!
Superhero and Villain Books
| Superman Adventures | DC Super Friends | Bedtime for Batman | The Amazing Spider-Man | Thor and Loki |
| The Courageous Captain America | The Adventures of Batgirl and Supergirl | Incredibles 2: Sweet Dreams Jack-Jack | Harley Quinn's Hat Trick | Marvel Myths and Legends |
Book Week Superhero Costume Ideas: Superman, Batman, Robin, Spider-Man, Thor, Captain Marvel, Captain America, Iron Man, The Flash, Supergirl, Black Panther, The Hulk, Ant-Man, Wonder Woman, The Incredibles, Baby Jack, Rocket Racoon, Gamora, Star Lord, The Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Shuri, Shazam!, Bat Girl, Gwen Stacy, Aquaman, Nebula, Taskmaster, The Joker, Two-Face, Harley Quinn, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, The Ridder, Thanos, Shang-Chi, Marvel Eternals.
Gaming Gurus
Gaming gurus, it’s time to shine! Whether you’re a fan of Super Mario and Luigi, Halo, Minecraft or even Pokemon, our cool gaming character costumes will blow everyone away at your Book Week parade. From Princess Peach to incredible full body Master Chief armour, you’re guaranteed to be inspired by the gaming costume category!
Gaming Themed Books
| Super Mario Little Golden Book | Halo Series | The Legend of Zelda Series | Sonic the Hedgehog Series |
| Pokemon Adventures Series | Diary of a Minecraft Zombie | Mega Man Fully Charged | Minecraft: The Mountain Hard Cover Book |
Awesome Book Week Costumes: Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Toad, Princess Peach, Rosalina, Wario, Raccoon Mario, Yoshi, Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Minecraft Steve, Minecraft Zombie, Minecraft Alex, Diamond Armour, Minecraft Creeper, Snorlax, Pikachu, Eevee, Pokeball, Psyduck, Red Spartan, Blue Spartan, Master Chief, Locke, Zelda, Link, Mega Man, Brite Bomber, Black Knight.
Medieval Mischief
From brave Knights in shining armour ready to save the day to divine royal Queens and even fearsome fire-breathing Dragons, the Medieval era will always stand the test of time in literature! Think of characters like King Arthur, Lady Guinevere, Lancelot and even Vikings like Bjorn Ironside. All are great costume ideas for Book Week.
Medieval Books
| Little Dragon | Knight Owl | The Paper Bag Princess |
| The Sword in the Stone | Who Wants to Be a Princess? | King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table |
Dress Up Ideas for Book Week 2023: King Arthur, Lancelot, Lady Guinevere, Merlin, Princess, Queen, King, Knight, Dragon.
Out of this World, Myths and Legends
Ready to explore beyond our world and bring some myths and legends to life? Our inspirational otherworldly costumes will make a fantastic option for Book Week. Transform yourself into a mythical creature from the depths of the sea in a mermaid costume, journey through the galaxy as an alien or follow the path of a magical unicorn for Book Week!
Otherworldly Books
| Thelma the Unicorn | The Singing Mermaid | An Alien in the Jam Factory | Goddess Girls Series | The Garden Adventures of Griswald the Gnome |
Out of this World Book Week Costume Ideas: Unicorn, Mermaid, Alien, Medusa, Gods, Goddesses, Gnome.
From the History Books
Take some inspiration from the ancient history books! From Roman Gladiators to Spartans and Pharaohs, you can find all sorts of costumes for book week 2023. Why not become an Egyptian queen like Cleopatra? Or, for a truly regal look, go back in time as Julius Caesar or Marc Anthony? Step through the mists of history and find yourself transformed into one of these iconic figures at your Book Week parade!
History Books
| Children's Encyclopedia of Ancient History | 1000 Facts About Ancient Egypt | Step Inside Ancient Rome | Step Inside Ancient Egypt |
Historic Book Week Costumes: Cleopatra, Marc Anthony, Caesar, Gladiator, Spartan, Pharoah.
Adventurous Souls
Ahoy, me hearties! Do you want to channel some adventurous spirit this Book Week? You can transform into a swashbuckling pirate? Or perhaps stealthy ninja? Whatever daring quest you want to embark on this book week, you're sure to be inspired by our adventurous costume options!
Adventurer Books
| Molly the Pirate | Henry's Pirate Adventure | Cat Ninja Series |
| Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja Series | Cowboy Camp | The Wildest Cowboy |
Fun Book Week Costume Ideas: Pirate, Ninja, Cowboy.
Stars of Stage and Screen
Transform into Elsa from Frozen, Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, Chase from Paw Patrol, the mysterious Wednesday Addams or one of the Descendants gang for Book Week! The characters in this category have graced the pages of our favourite books time and time again, making them ideal candidates for stage and screen time. With some of the most notable characters in the world in this category, we’re sure you’ll find the perfect Book Week costume below!
TV and Movie Themed Books
| Toy Story: Classic Collection | World of Reading: Star Wars | Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Series | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Collection | The Descendants Series |
| Frozen Little Golden Book | Transformers The Manga Series | Scooby-Doo: Creepy Stories | The Wiggles: Hot Potato | Shrek Little Golden Book |
| Encanto Disney Collection | Space Mission! Rugrats | SpongeBob Comics Series | Minions Little Golden Book | The Addams Family |
| Stranger Things Graphic Novel Series | Mickey & Minnie Storybook Collection | PJ Masks: Ready-to-Read Series | A Tale from the Care Bears Series | My Little Pony Ladybird Readers |
| DC League of Super-Pets Step into Reading | Paw Patrol Step into Reading | Bluey: Little Library | The Karate Kid Saga | Moana's Story Collection |
The Best Book Week Costumes: Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jesse, Rex, Mr Potato Head, Bo Peep, Zurg, Forky, Stormtroopers, Anakin Skywalker, Boba Fett, Ahsoka, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Han Solo, Finn, K2SO Rogue Droid, Obi Wan Kenobi, Plo Koon, Poe Dameron, Princess Leia, Kylo Ren, Jyn Erso, Red Power Ranger, Yellow Power Ranger, Pink Power Ranger, Blue Power Ranger, Dino Fury Power Ranger, Shaggy Rogers, Fred, Jones, Velma Dinkley, Scooby Doo, Daphne Blake, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Michaelangeo, Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael, Red Wiggle, Yellow Wiggle, Purple Wiggle, Blue Wiggle, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Captain Feathersword, Wags the Dog, Emma Wiggle, Mal, Evie, Uma, Audrey, Shrek, Fiona, Mirabel Madrigal, Isabela Madrigal, Bruno Madrigal, Pepa Madrigal, Dolores Madrigal, Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, Angelica Pickles, Tommy Pickles, Chuckie Finster, Patrick Star, SpongeBob, Evil Minion, Rise of Gru Minion, Yellow Minion, Mortician Addams, Gomez Addams, Uncle Fester, Wednesday Addams, Enid Sinclair, Eleven, Max Mayfield, Billy Hargrove, Will Byers, Vecna, Steve Harrington, Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Eddie Munson, Chrissy, Hopper, Demogorgon, Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Catboy, Owlette, Gekko, Pink Care Bear, Blue Care Bear, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Krypto the Superdog, Ace the Bat-Hound, Chase, Marshall, Skye, Rubble, Rocky, Bluey, Chilli, Bingo, Cobra Kai Karate, Miyagi Do Karate, Moana, Bing, Sula, Holly, Marty McFly, Steve Urwin, Barbie, Dino Ranch Jon, Dino Ranch Min, Dumbo, Emma Memma, He-Man, Gabby's Dollhouse, Peppa Pig.
Now that we’ve covered some of our favourite book week costumes for 2023, we need to know. Have you found the perfect costume?
If you’re still can’t find something you want to wear, there are a few things to remember when picking a Book Week costume…
1. If You Can Read it, You Can Be It!!
2. Pick A Book (Any book is OK! Even comic books or history books are an option!)
3. Choose Your Character!
4. Find a Costume!
5. Dress Up and Have Fun!
Before I go, don’t forget, we love to see everyone’s Book Week Costumes!
Tag us on social media @heavencostumes and use the hashtag #heavencostumes for a chance to be featured on our socials and website!
Until Next Time….
