Book Week Costume Ideas for Teachers and Adults (2026 Guide)

Australia's Children's Book Week runs from Saturday 22 August to Friday 28 August 2026, with this year's theme set as Symphony of Stories, according to the Children's Book Council of Australia, the organisation that runs the event nationally. The official artwork comes from illustrator Briony Stewart, and 2026 also marks 80 years of the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, which have run since 1946.

Students get most of the attention during Book Week, but teachers and other adults joining the parade or classroom celebration need costume ideas too, and the brief is a little different. A teacher's costume has to survive a full day of teaching, work over normal clothes where possible, and still land as recognisable from across a classroom. This guide covers exactly that: easy options, a few ideas that tie into this year's musical theme, and group costumes for staff wanting to coordinate.

When Is Book Week 2026, and What's the Theme?

Book Week 2026 runs from 22 to 28 August, though the exact parade or dress-up day depends on your school's own calendar within that week. The 2026 theme, Symphony of Stories, according to the CBCA's own announcement, is built around the idea of many different characters and stories coming together, which leaves plenty of room for almost any book character costume to fit.

If a student or parent mentions World Book Day instead, that is a separate UK and Ireland celebration held in March. In Australia, the equivalent event is Book Week, and it runs in August under the CBCA banner.

Easy Book Week Costumes for Teachers

These options need little to no sewing and mostly work over your normal work clothes, which matters when you are also running a classroom that day.

• Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz: a blue gingham dress and a pair of ruby shoes does most of the work. Shop the Classic Dorothy Women Costume for a ready-made option at $44.95.
• The Cat in the Hat: a tall red and white striped hat worn over your regular outfit is instantly recognisable and needs almost no other effort.
• Mary Poppins: a long coat, a carpet bag and an umbrella prop reads clearly from a distance. Browse the full Mary Poppins costume range for adult sizing.
• Roald Dahl characters: Miss Trunchbull, Matilda, or a Big Friendly Giant look all work well for an adult wanting something with a bit more personality. See the Roald Dahl costume range for options.
• The Silly Cat With Hat look: a playful, comedy-leaning option if you want your class laughing rather than just recognising the reference. Available from $49.95 as the Silly Cat With Hat Adult Costume.

Costume Ideas That Fit the Symphony of Stories Theme

Since the 2026 theme is built around music and many stories coming together, a costume with a musical or performance angle ties in neatly without needing to be literal.

• A book character who plays an instrument, such as Mary Poppins with her umbrella swapped for a prop instrument, or a fairytale minstrel character built from a plain tunic and a lute prop.
• David Walliams characters, many of which lean theatrical and colourful, work well if your school is running a stage-adjacent Book Week assembly. See the David Walliams costume range.
• An Alice in Wonderland character, since the story's whimsical, many-characters-at-once feel matches the Symphony of Stories idea closely. Browse Alice in Wonderland Book Week costumes for adult and teen sizing.

Group and Staffroom Costume Ideas

If your staffroom wants to coordinate rather than each teacher choosing separately, a group costume spreads the effort and photographs well for the school newsletter.

• Tweedledum and Tweedledee from Alice in Wonderland works well for two teachers or teaching partners wanting a matching look.
• The Bad Guys crew suits a larger group, since the story has several distinct characters who read clearly as a set. See The Bad Guys costumes.
• A Crayola box theme, using multiple colourways of the Crayons Box Tunic Adult Costume (from $39.95) across several staff members, works as a simple, colourful group costume with minimal coordination needed.
• Wizard of Oz as a full staff group, splitting Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion across four teachers for a recognisable set.

Adult Costume Options at a Glance

A quick comparison if you are deciding between a few options.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Choosing something too obscure. A character only you have read about will not land with students or other staff. Stick to well-known books and characters unless you plan to explain the reference all day.
• Picking a costume you cannot teach in. Full-coverage masks, restrictive skirts or anything that limits movement will not survive a day of standing, bending and moving around a classroom.
• Leaving it to the morning of. Blossom Costumes dispatches orders paid before 1pm AET on the same day, according to its shipping information page, so ordering earlier in the week gives more room for Express Post delays.
• Not checking with the rest of the staffroom. A group costume loses its impact if half the group did not know it was happening. Confirm the plan before ordering if you want a coordinated look.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions teachers and other adults ask most often when planning a Book Week costume.

1. When is Book Week in 2026?

Saturday 22 August to Friday 28 August 2026. Most school parades and dress-up days land somewhere within that week, though individual schools set their own exact day, so it is worth checking the newsletter for the specific date.

2. What is the 2026 Book Week theme?

Symphony of Stories, with official artwork by illustrator Briony Stewart. The theme leans into the idea of many different characters and stories coming together, which is broad enough to fit almost any book character costume.

3. Do teachers really need to dress up, or is it just for students?

It is optional, but plenty of teachers join in, and it tends to be a highlight of the week for students when a teacher makes the effort. A low-effort costume still counts and takes the pressure off spending hours on an outfit.

4. What is an easy Book Week costume for a teacher with no time to plan?

A tall red and white striped hat instantly reads as the Cat in the Hat with almost no other effort. A blue gingham dress and ruby shoes does the same job for Dorothy. Both are one-item looks you can wear over your normal clothes.

5. Is Book Week the same as World Book Day?

No. World Book Day is a UK and Ireland event held in March. In Australia, the CBCA runs Book Week in August instead, with its own yearly theme and its own official artwork.

Which Costume Should You Choose?

If you want something low-effort that still lands, go with Dorothy or the Cat in the Hat look. Both work over normal clothes and need almost no prep. Browse the full Book Week costumes for teachers range for more single-item options.

If you want to tie into the 2026 theme directly, an Alice in Wonderland or Mary Poppins look leans into the Symphony of Stories idea without being too literal about it. The full adult Book Week costume range covers sizing for men and women.

If your staffroom wants to coordinate, a Wizard of Oz or Bad Guys group costume photographs well and spreads the planning across several people. Whatever you choose, order with time to spare. Blossom Costumes ships from Melbourne and dispatches same day on orders placed before 1pm AET, with Express Post available if the date sneaks up on you. See the full Book Week costumes and accessories range to browse everything in one place.