Whether you’re celebrating Book Week with your students remotely or IRL this year, we have some easy costumes to wow!
Book Week has rolled around very quickly this year and we are here with our annual guide to help you nail your Book Week costume with a minimum of faff and fuss. This year’s theme is Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds and encompasses a range of fantastic books for the youngest readers all the way through to YA enthusiasts. So, without further ado, get your glue guns to the ready and decant your poster paint, as we explore costumes, resources and a whole lot more in celebration of Book Week 2021.
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Some people love dressing up for Book Week and have had their outfit ready since January. Then there are others who feel their blood pressure spike at the very idea of having to come up with – and then wear – a costume. Whichever camp you belong to, you are sure to find some no-fuss ideas here.
Zoom-friendly Book Week costumes (that work IRL too)
These costumes all work just as well onscreen as they do IRL. If your costume does not have to survive a day of face-to-face teaching, it’s possible to get away with some strategically printed accessories to make your outfit.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Greg from Diary of a Wimpy Kid (or DOAWK as it is known to its enthusiastic fanbase) is an easily identifiable character with his comic-book style face. There are loads of masks available online to download, but if you happen to find yourself sans printer, this is a very easy face to recreate with white card and a black marker. For bonus points, make a pair of hands too and attach them with hair ties.
Anyone from The Bad Guys
Dress up as any of the main characters from the beloved graphic novel series “The Bad Guys.” Mr Shark, Mr Wolf, Mr Snake and Mr Piranha require nothing more than a mask, a white shirt, black tie and optional black jacket. If you are going to be walking around the oval or down the main street, throw on some black pants and you’ll be good to go.
Anyone from Harry Potter
Conventional Book Week wisdom states that if you don’t know who to go as for Book Week, pick someone from Harry Potter. All the house shields, ties and other Hogwarts related accoutrement are available as free printable templates online. Team with a white shirt and a black top tied backwards in lieu of a cloak and you’ll be ready to cast your first spell in a heartbeat.
Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games was a blockbuster and it’s safe to say that dressing up as the heroine from this wildly popular dystopian sci-fi series is an easy win for Book Week. A brown/black/neutral toned jacket, a black top, a mocking jay badge (there are plenty of printables online) and a side braid if you have long hair will finish the look. Cargo pants and a bow and arrow are optional extras if you’re going all out.
The Classics
Mathilda, Dr Seuss and friends, Dorothy or Tin Man from Wizard of Oz, Little Red Riding Hood and Mary Poppins are all Book Week classic costumes that educators have been putting together quickly and easily for years. And don’t forget, ghosts are in a lot of books, and they all wear a sheet!
Resources
Book Week isn’t all about dressing up though. It’s about celebrating children’s literature, the joy of reading and the love of a good book. The CBCA homepage is a great place to start, but here are some other resources from around the web:
Resources for older readers
Book Week isn’t just for young readers. There is plenty on offer for YA fans too and there are some brilliant books shortlisted this year. The wonderful Ipswich District Teacher-Librarian Network has resources for every book listed and is well worth a visit for a range of teaching notes, reviews, author talks, videos and more.
Resources for early readers and younger readers
Still with the Ipswich District Teacher-Librarian Network, there is an absolute embarrassment of riches on offer when it comes to resources for Early Childhood through to Younger Readers. Storybox Library also has some great downloadable activities and printouts to keep the Book Week fun going.
Have a wonderful Book Week!
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