We asked you to send in your best efforts for World Book Day and you did not disappoint. Below are some of the photographs we received (we wish we could include more) and your inspiration behind the costumes.
‘There were some late nights on the sewing machine’
Fakhrul from Walsall sent in a great photo of his son Raheem’s costume (pictured above in the main image).
“It was my 17-year-old daughter Aleemah’s idea, actually. She’s a fan of Dr Seuss so she suggested the costume for her 11-year-old brother. My wife made the whole costume herself from scratch at home. It took her about a week, including some late nights on the sewing machine for the costume as well as the hat. Raheem’s over the moon with the final result.”
‘Who doesn’t love a beret?’
James from Essex got in touch to tell us about his daughter Nell, who dressed up as Claude and Sir Bobblysock (from the Claude book series by Alex T Smith).
“I saw the beret in a shop a few months back, which started it all off. Nell wasn’t sure if she was going to definitely go as him but I bought it anyway as she looked good in it. Over the weekend we started the papier-mache for Sir Bobblysock and the ears and we had a trial run on the makeup last night. So this morning everything went smoothly.
“I’m relieved at the way it has turned out and Nell loves it. Also, who doesn’t love a beret?”
‘She was pleased she could tickle her teachers’
Mr Tickle is one of six-year-old Anaiah’s favourite characters, said her mum, Ria, from Milton Keynes.
“We made the costume together yesterday evening after school. It took around 30 minutes to draw and cut the paper into the correct shapes, paint it orange and allow it all to dry. We then taped up the hands and shoulder straps to the front and back pieces.
“Anaiah was very pleased with the result, especially when she realised she could tickle her class teacher this morning.”
‘We found most things searching through wardrobes’
Katie from Pershore, Worcestershire, sent in this great transformation of her son Tom into Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter.
“Tom is obsessed with all things Harry Potter, and was always adamant he wanted to dress as Dolores Umbridge. We found most things searching through wardrobes – my skirt and scarf, my late mother’s jacket. Shoes from a charity shop. My old handbag, with a kitten notebook. His father made the magic wand using wooden beads. The most fun was getting out the curling tongs and make up.
“We are both incredibly happy – the response he got from his classmates was so worth the effort. He couldn’t stop smiling! Tom has always loved dressing up and acting. He spends nearly five hours a week at drama clubs. I am so proud that he has the confidence to carry this off.”
‘It’s really important for children to have books that reflect their different cultures’
Ben, 8, from West Sussex, told us why he wanted to go as Salim in The London Eye Mystery.
“I chose Salim because he is English and Indian like me. My mummy gave me an old-fashioned camera from a jumble sale to help with the costume. I then stuffed a pillow in a rucksack and wore blue trousers like Salim. The story doesn’t say what colour his T-shirt was so I just chose one of mine. I’m very happy!”
His mum, Nikki, said: “It’s really important for children to have books that reflect their different cultures, ethnicities and identities. Ben loved this book, partly because he can see himself in the brave and handsome Salim.”
‘She always seems to pick baddies’
Izzy, 11, from Hadfield, Derbyshire, went to school as the Demon Dentist from the David Walliams book.
“She’s reading the book at the moment and loving it. She always seems to pick baddies, too – she’s been Mrs Twit (Roald Dahl’s The Twits), Cruella de Vil (101 Dalmations) and Maleficent (Disney’s Sleeping Beauty) previously. Baddies are much more interesting characters! Her costume is made up of a lab coat borrowed from my wife’s work, some silver hair spray, some hair-styling, face paint and makeup, and that’s it, really. We put it all together between 7am and 8am this morning,” said her dad, Adrian.
‘Decorating a potato has worked out to be far more economical and fun’
Rowan, 7, from Nottinghamshire, may not have dressed up today but we just had to include him and his Captain Underpants potato.
His mum, Laura, said: “The idea came from Pinterest, of course, but we adapted the design, which was originally for a pumpkin. No costumes were required from his school this year, which has been a blessing. Instead, the children were asked to decorate a potato as their favourite book character, which worked out to be far more economical and more fun. We are both delighted!”
‘We had a lot of fun’
Teachers have also been in touch to show us the fun they’ve been having with their creations.
Alexandra Thompson who works at Featherstone high school in Southall, London, sent in a photo of teachers and support staff dressed up as various literary characters. Thompson is dressed as Fern from Charlotte’s Web: “Everyone had a lot of fun and we are all thrilled with how the costumes turned out.” Can you tell who they are?
