WORLD BOOK DAY costumes & fancy dress

World Book Day takes place on a different date each year. In 2024, World Book Day is on Thursday 7th March 2024.

World Book Day is a charity event that’s celebrated at schools in both the UK and Ireland. World Book Day occurs once a year in March, and is usually celebrated on the first Thursday of that month. On World Book Day, children can dress up as their favourite book character for the entire day, whilst delving into their favourite storybook. Each child gets a voucher they can redeem for a free book of their choice. It's a great cause that's designed to change lives and encourage a love of reading.

Books are important for the growth of every child, no matter their background. World Book Day is an excellent event and year-round effort to support that.

As is tradition, the whole class dresses up in World Book Day costumes and there's a fun day of reading and activities at school. Each year, more adults are taking part in the occasion too. Teachers, parents and anyone with a love for reading can celebrate World Book Day!

World Book Day allows children, parents and teachers to be as creative as possible. There are so many World Book Day characters to choose from, and here at fancydress.com, we plenty of characters to spark your imagination.

For children, classics such as Willy Wonka and Where’s Wally will always be popular. Our range of David Walliams’ book costumes are also a hit every year. Gangsta Granny, Ratburger and Mr Stink are fan favourites for the little ones. For adults and teachers, why not dress up as the magical nanny, Mary Poppins, the mighty Professor Dumbledore, or the sweet and innocent Alice, from Alice in Wonderland?

In addition to the storybook favourites; superheroes, Disney princesses and animal outfits are a top choice for kids around the country. The best World Book Day costume is completely individual and will depend on what books you or your child enjoys. View our full collection of World Book Day outfits for inspiration.