2025 Theme – Book an Adventure| 2025 Shortlist – click here
2025 Book Week Costume Ideas
We love this year’s theme “Book an Adventure” as it allows you to pretty much go dressed as any book character you like. So get creative and don’t forget to show us what you come up with!
Why the theme?
- The theme celebrates 80 years of Children’s Book Week
- The theme encourages young readers to explore new worlds and embark on literary journeys
- The theme ties in with the artwork of Jess McGeachin, the 2023 CBCA Eve Pownall Award winner
The KiA team are a bit divided about costumes. Some of us LOVE IT (me) and some of us despise it (most of the others) so whether your a DIY, make it from scratch, hot glue gun costume connoisseur, a buy it all online and pay extra for express post panicker or a do your best with what you’ve got at home type of costume designer we’ve got some ideas for you below.
Where’s Wally (Where’s Wally by Martin Handford)
- Red and white striped shirt
- Blue jeans
- Round glasses and a beanie
Edward the Emu (by Sheena Knowles)
- Grey or black outfit
- Feather boa or DIY feathers
- Emu beak made from cardboard or face paint
Wombat from Diary of a Wombat (by Jackie French)
- Brown hoodie and pants
- Ears and nose using felt or face paint
- Carry a little “diary” or a mini shovel (to ‘dig’ like the wombat)
Harry Potter (Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling)
- Black robe or school uniform
- Glasses and a lightning bolt scar
- Wand (pencil or stick works)
Pippi Longstocking (by Astrid Lindgren)
- Bright dress and mismatched stockings
- Plaited hair with wire inside to stick out
- Freckles with face paint
The Very Hungry Caterpillar (by Eric Carle)
- Green clothes
- DIY paper or felt headband with antennae
- Add fruit images or labels to match the story
Alice in Wonderland (by Lewis Carroll)
- Blue dress and white apron
- Hairband with bow
- Optional: a teacup or stuffed rabbit
The Magic School Bus Explorer (by Joanna Cole)
- Yellow clothes or jacket
- Backpack, goggles or ‘science’ props
- Optional: a stuffed lizard (like Liz!)
Astronaut (e.g. Goodnight Spaceman, There’s No Place Like Space)
- White clothes
- DIY cardboard helmet or use a bike helmet
- Stick on NASA logo printout
Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan)
- Orange t-shirt with “Camp Half-Blood”
- Jeans and sneakers
- A pen (to represent his sword Riptide)
Explorer from ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ (by Michael Rosen)
- Khaki or neutral coloured clothes
- Binoculars or a walking stick
- Map or stuffed bear
Bindi Irwin – Wildlife Explorer (from Bindi Wildlife Adventures)
- Khaki shirt and shorts
- Toy snake, binoculars or animal plushie
- Ponytail and adventure boots
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