Classic storybook characters make easy book character costumes for kids, because the look reads at a glance: Dorothy's blue-and-white gingham, Red Riding Hood's red hood, the Hatter's tall hat, or Robin Hood's green. Add one prop from the story and carry the book. All four come from books published before 1931, and those original books are in the US public domain, according to Cornell University Library's copyright term chart; later film and studio versions are not.
We make ready-to-wear versions of all four. Of the kids' book character costume orders tracked in our US website analytics from April 22, 2026, when those records begin, to October 18, about six in ten came in the first 18 days of October, the run-up to Halloween and the October 31 book character days. The full range is in our kids book character costumes; our fairy tale costume ideas cover more characters from the same shelf.
Table of Contents
- What makes a book character costume easy?
- When is book character day in the US?
- Which classic characters come ready to wear?
- What can kids wear from Wonderland besides Alice?
- Where does the chocolate factory worker look fit?
- Which costumes suit picture books and toddlers?
- Can teachers and kids dress as the same character?
- How do you make a last-minute book character costume?
- Frequently asked questions
What makes a book character costume easy?
Five checks make a book character costume easy, starting with a look a classmate can name from across the hall:
- The look the book describes. In chapter 3 of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wears gingham "with checks of white and blue", and that dress still does the work.
- One prop from the story. A basket, a teddy bear, a teacup, or a quiver; one is enough.
- The book itself. For its 2025 Book Character Day, Austin ISD's Boone Elementary encouraged students to bring their book along.
- A full school day of wear. Age-banded sizes and shoes the school allows.
- Inside the school rules. The same Boone page set "No weapons or props that resemble a weapon" and "No face masks that completely cover the face".
Nine of our kids' costumes against those checks, with what ships and the one prop to add:
| Character | From | Our costume | In the pack | One prop to add |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorothy | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) | Girls Dorothy Costume | Gingham dress with attached blouse styling, headband | A basket |
| Goldilocks | The Story of the Three Bears (1837) | Girls Goldilocks Costume | Yellow dress with attached apron, headband | A soft toy bear |
| Red Riding Hood | French (1697) and German (1812) tellings | Kids Red Fairytale Cape Costume | Dress and cape | A basket |
| Robin Hood | The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (1883) | Boys Robin Hood Costume | Green top, hooded cape, belt, boot covers | An empty quiver |
| The Hatter | Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) | Boys Little Mad Hatter Costume | Jacket with shirt insert, hat | A teacup |
| A little pig | The folk tale of the three little pigs | Kids Little Pig Costume | Overalls with tail, striped top, pig nose, cap with ears | A bundle of straw |
| A big cat | Any picture book with a leopard or a cat | Girls Leopard Dress Costume | Dress, hooded zip top, tail, fingerless gloves | The book |
| A striped puzzle-book explorer | The search-and-find picture books | Boys Red and White Striped Puzzle Book Character Costume | Striped top, blue pants, bobble hat, round glasses, cane | Nothing; it ships complete |
| A Victorian storybook nanny | Any story with a Victorian nanny | Girls Storybook Victorian Nanny Costume | Jacket with ruffle insert, skirt, hat | A small handbag |
Some props in our product photos, such as the toy dog with Dorothy and the bow with Robin Hood, are not part of the packs; each product page lists what is in the pack.
When is book character day in the US?
Each US school sets its own book character day, so check the school calendar first. Some tie it to Read Across America, which the National Education Association celebrates on March 2 and through National Reading Month in March; one Arizona academy ran a Read Across America Spirit Week with a character day and a fairy tale day. Others hold it on October 31, as Boone and Austin ISD's Mathews Elementary did, so one costume covers both, and it can come back out for Read Across America in March.
The NEA says the Read Across America brand is "independent of any one particular book, publisher, or character", so any book your child loves counts. Reading for fun has slipped: in the 2025 NAEP long-term trend assessment, 37% of 9-year-olds said they read for fun almost every day, down from 42% in 2020 and 53% in 1984.
Which classic characters come ready to wear?
Dorothy, Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood, and Robin Hood come ready to wear in our kids' range, each from a story in the US public domain. As a brand, we run over 500,000 quality checks a year. All of our kids' products are safety tested by accredited labs.
Dorothy, in the gingham from the book
The Girls Dorothy Costume is a blue and white gingham dress with attached white blouse styling and red bow details, plus a matching headband. It runs in four age sizes, from S (4 to 6 years) to XL (12 to 14). The product page suggests a basket and tights to finish it. In the 1900 book her shoes are silver, so any silver flats are true to the text. Hand wash it in cool water and air dry it flat. More Oz looks are in our Wizard of Oz costume guide.
Goldilocks, with a bear to carry
The Girls Goldilocks Costume is a yellow dress with an attached apron panel and a matching headband, in S (4 to 6 years), M (7 to 9), and L (10 to 12). The product page suggests ballet flats, ankle socks, and a soft toy bear. The intruder was not always a girl: in an early printed version she is an old woman, as the University of Colorado Boulder's fairy tale project notes. For a grown-up version, see our Goldilocks costume ideas for adults.
Red Riding Hood, cape and dress
The Kids Red Fairytale Cape Costume packs a checkerboard dress and a red cape, so the only thing to add is a basket. The red was there from the start: the 1697 French tale, in English translation, has "a little red riding hood", and the 1812 German version gives her "a little cap made of red velvet", according to the University of Pittsburgh's folktale texts. More ways to play her are in our Red Riding Hood costume guide.
Robin Hood, in Lincoln green
The Boys Robin Hood Costume packs a green top with cuff and hem detail, a hooded cape, a belt, and boot covers that slip over your child's own shoes. It runs from S (4 to 6 years) to XL (12 to 14). In The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, his band is "all clad in Lincoln green", so the green alone says who he is. If the school bans weapon-like props, leave the bow at home and carry an empty quiver or the book instead. Knights and kings from the same shelf are in our knight costume ideas.
What can kids wear from Wonderland besides Alice?
The Hatter is one Wonderland option besides Alice, and his tall hat carries the look on its own. In the 1865 text he explains, "I've none of my own. I'm a hatter" (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland). The price card on his hat comes from the book's original drawings, and the author explained it in The Nursery "Alice" (1890): a "10" and a "6" mean ten shillings and sixpence.
The Hatter, hat included
The Boys Little Mad Hatter Costume is a long brown jacket with an attached polka dot shirt insert and a pink collar, plus a ribboned top hat. It runs from S (4 to 6 years) to XL (12 to 14), and the product page suggests sizing up between sizes for room to layer. Add a teacup to finish it. Alice herself is in our Alice in Wonderland costume guide.
Where does the chocolate factory worker look fit?
The chocolate factory worker and owner costumes sit in our kids' book character range next to the classics. The worker, the owner, and the face paint each get a full write-up in our chocolate factory costume guide, and the kids' sizes are in our book character costume range.
Which costumes suit picture books and toddlers?
Animal costumes and bold stripes suit picture books and younger kids, because a print tells the story with no lines to learn. Our leopard dress is listed from toddler size T2, and our little pig runs from age 4.
A big cat for a picture book
The Girls Leopard Dress Costume packs a leopard print dress, a detachable hooded zip top, a fluffy tail, and fingerless gloves. It comes in five sizes, T2, S, M, L, and XL, with an elastic waist. Put the hood up for a big cat from a bedtime story, or wear it down for a wildlife book. More animals are in our kids animal costumes.
A little pig, straw optional
The Kids Little Pig Costume packs denim-effect overalls with an attached tail, a striped top, a pig nose, and a cap with attached ears, from S (4 to 6 years) to XL (12 to 14). After its opening rhyme, the tale in English Fairy Tales begins "There was an old sow with three little pigs", so three siblings make the full set. For a picture-book bug instead of a farm animal, see our caterpillar costume guide.
A striped explorer, complete in one box
The Boys Red and White Striped Puzzle Book Character Costume packs five pieces: a striped long sleeve top, blue pants, a knitted bobble hat, round black glasses, and a costume cane. Add everyday sneakers and it is done. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to "Avoid sharp or long swords, canes or sticks as a costume accessory" (HealthyChildren.org), so if your school bans stick props, the stripes, hat, and glasses still carry the look.
Can teachers and kids dress as the same character?
Teachers and kids can both go as storybook nannies: we make a girls' nanny costume and a women's one, so a teacher and a student, or a parent and a child, can go as a pair.
The girls' storybook nanny
The Girls Storybook Victorian Nanny Costume packs a fitted jacket with an attached white ruffle shirt insert, a bright blue skirt, and a black hat with ribbon detail. It runs from S (4 to 6 years) to XL (12 to 14), and the product page suggests tights underneath.
The grown-up nanny, for the teacher
The Women's Navy English Nanny Costume packs a gray jacket with black lapels and frilly cuffs, a long skirt, a mock shirt insert, and a wide-brimmed hat that attaches to a headband so it stays put. Stretch fabrics and an elastic waist help it fit, in six sizes from Small to 3X-Large. It is hand wash only; do not tumble dry.
How do you make a last-minute book character costume?
Start with one piece of clothing in the character's main color, then add the prop and the book. Five builds from the closet:
- Red Riding Hood: a red hoodie with the hood up and a basket.
- Robin Hood: a green shirt, a belt, and a brown hood.
- Dorothy: a blue-and-white checked dress or shirt, two braids, and silver shoes, as in the book.
- The Hatter: any tall hat with a card marked 10/6 in the band, plus a teacup.
- A little pig: pink clothes, overalls, and a paper snout on elastic.
A tall Hatter hat or a red hood should stay above the eyes: the American Academy of Pediatrics says hats should not slide over eyes or block vision. It also says to look for "flame resistant" on costume labels, and it suggests non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives to masks.
Frequently asked questions
What book characters can kids dress up as?
Classic characters a classmate can name on sight are a good place to start: Dorothy, Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood, Robin Hood, the Hatter, or one of the three little pigs. All six come from stories in the US public domain, and we make a ready-to-wear kids' costume for each. Add one prop from the story, such as a basket or a teddy bear, and carry the book.
What are good book character costumes for boys?
Robin Hood, the Hatter, a little pig, or a striped puzzle-book explorer all work for boys. Our Boys Robin Hood Costume packs a green top, hooded cape, belt, and boot covers, and our Boys Little Mad Hatter Costume includes the top hat; both run from ages 4 to 14.
What book character costumes work for toddlers?
An animal look suits toddlers, because a print reads without props or lines. Our Girls Leopard Dress Costume is listed on its product page in five sizes, from toddler T2 to XL, and packs a dress, a hooded zip top, a tail, and fingerless gloves. Check that any hat or hood does not slide over the eyes, as the American Academy of Pediatrics advises.
Can a book character costume double as a Halloween costume?
Yes. Some schools hold book character day on October 31, as Austin ISD's Boone and Mathews elementary schools did, so one costume covers both. It can come back out for Read Across America, which the National Education Association celebrates on March 2.
What are the rules for book character costumes at school?
Each school sets its own, so read the flyer first. Austin ISD's Boone Elementary banned weapons or props that resemble a weapon and face masks that completely cover the face for its 2025 Book Character Day, required school-appropriate shoes, and encouraged students to bring their book. A bow, a sword, or a long cane can stay home while the costume still reads.
