October is the month of eerie and haunting moments, sounds that go bump in the night, and, of course, trick-or-treating! Every tween loves dressing up, and Halloween, school dress-up days, and themed parties are perfect moments for your tweens to let their imaginations run wild, and we aren’t afraid to admit we love joining in the fun.

Store-bought costumes might be flashy, but there’s nothing more fun (or budget-friendly) than pulling together a DIY look inspired by one of their favorite characters. It’s the perfect way to celebrate a book you love, and it also gets your kids excited about reading! With a little creativity, some closet-digging, and maybe a sprinkle of hot glue magic, your tween can transform into a hero, detective, or robot straight from the pages of their favorite stories. 

Our Tween Book Boxes are where stories and surprises meet and are known for bringing magic and adventure to every tween. We have some wonderful ready-to-ship tween boxes just waiting for you!

 

Tips for Creating DIY Book-Inspired Costumes

DIY doesn’t have to be complicated; it’s all about being creative with what you have! The best book character costumes often come from everyday items. Raid your closet or thrift store for basics, then add character-defining accessories (a magnifying glass, a toy sword, or even a stuffed animal sidekick). 

Working together is such fun and a great way to build those all-important memories. Your tween can design or personalize their look with props or handmade details. Most importantly, keep safety in mind.

The CPSC gives some great safety tips for, as they put it, “Keep Hazards from Haunting Your Halloween.” When it comes to costumes, fit matters—steer clear of overly long or baggy outfits that can cause trips and falls. Loose, flowing fabrics can also pose a fire hazard near candles or open flames, so it’s safer to choose costumes made from polyester or nylon rather than sheer cotton or rayon. Even then, remember that any fabric can catch fire if exposed to flames. 

Masks should have eye and nose holes large enough for full visibility and easy breathing, but makeup is often a safer and more comfortable alternative. Adding reflective tape to costumes or outerwear makes trick-or-treaters easier to spot, and pairing it with a flashlight or glow stick can brighten dark sidewalks while doubling as a fun accessory. 

 

7 Tween-Friendly DIY Book Character Costume Ideas

Alice from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Supplies: Blue dress (or skirt and blouse), white apron, headband, flats, toy pocket watch or printed clock cutout, optional stuffed rabbit.

How to: Start with a light blue dress or mix a blue skirt with a white blouse. Add a simple apron (a dish towel tied with ribbon works in a pinch). Slip on flats and tie a black headband or ribbon in your tween’s hair. Print a clock image and tape it to cardboard for an instant pocket watch—or let your tween carry a plush rabbit for that Wonderland feel. To keep the look safe, avoid overly long skirts that could trip them up and consider trimming the apron with reflective tape so it’s visible on a nighttime walk.

Percy Jackson from Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan

Supplies: Orange tee, black fabric paint, jeans, sneakers, toy sword (foam or cardboard), bead necklace, optional blue candy.

How to: Write “Camp Half-Blood” on an orange tee with black fabric paint or marker. Pair with jeans and sneakers for a relaxed, ready-for-action vibe. Cut a cardboard sword, cover it in foil, and glue craft foam details for Percy’s “celestial bronze” blade. String beads onto yarn or cord for a quick camp necklace. Make sure the sword is lightweight and flexible to avoid any accidents while sword swinging!

Amari Peters from Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston

Supplies: Black jacket, plain tee, joggers or leggings, sneakers, backpack, clear plastic ornament, LED tea light.

How to: This one is easy, start off with the basics: a comfy plain tee and leggings. Add the black jacket, sneakers, and a backpack to capture Amari’s adventurous style. For the glowing orb, you can use any plastic container (obviously, the rounder the better) and add the battery-powered tea light inside. This is the perfect magical prop without fire hazards. 

Roz from The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Supplies: Cardboard boxes, silver spray paint, duct tape, hot glue, bottle caps or buttons, silver face paint, stuffed goose.

How to: Cut large cardboard pieces into a boxy torso and smaller panels for arms. Next, you simply need to spray paint everything silver and tape or glue it together, leaving space for arms and movement. 

Add some bottle caps as “buttons” and straps inside for easy wear. For a finishing touch, paint your tween’s face lightly with silver face paint, and you can even give them a stuffed goose to carry. To avoid trips, keep cardboard panels short enough that they don’t drag or limit movement. You can also add some reflective tape to the edges to make the robot shine in the dark.

Coraline from Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Supplies: Yellow raincoat, black tee, black pants, blue wig (or temporary hair dye spray), rain boots, eyeliner, plush cat.

How to: Nothing says Coraline quite like layering a black tee and pants under a fabulous yellow raincoat. Pop on a short dark blue wig or spritz hair with washable blue color spray. Slip into rain boots for the classic Coraline vibe, yellow is perfect!. 

Next up is the detail; you can use eyeliner to draw small circles near the outer corners of the eyes for a safe nod to the “button eye” look. 

Nancy Drew from the Nancy Drew Series by Carolyn Keene

Supplies: Skirt or dress, flats, headband or cardigan, magnifying glass (plastic or real), notebook, pencil. 

How to: Choose a vintage-inspired skirt or dress (think neat, not flashy) and pair it with sensible detective shoes (flats are perfect! After all, you never know when you have to run after a clue or suspect). Add a cardigan or a thin headband for that polished detective look. Your tween can carry a magnifying glass and a small notebook as her “case file.” 

Violet Baudelaire from A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Supplies: Dark dress, ribbon for hair tie, knee socks, boots, notebook, bundle of rubber bands, optional toy goggles. 

How to: Start with a plain dark dress and pair it with knee socks and lace-up boots. You definitely want to tie back their hair with a ribbon—it’s Violet’s signature move whenever she’s inventing. Hand your tween a notebook and a fistful of rubber bands (her go-to invention tool). For extra fun, add a pair of toy goggles; it’s all about the detail.

 

Make It a Family or Classroom Event

If you’re looking to make dress-up even more fun, why not host a book-themed costume contest! Parents, teachers, or librarians can encourage kids to dress as their favorite characters, then pair the event with a reading challenge or themed party. 

It’s a great way to turn dressing up into a literacy celebration. For added flair, hand out Tween Reading Passports so kids can track the stories they’re exploring. If you’re looking for some more inspiration, check out our Halloween Bookish Crafts for Tweens.

Turning Pages into Costumes

From Alice’s apron to Percy’s camp tee, each costume idea proves that book character costumes don’t need to be expensive or elaborate; they just need a dash of imagination. These DIY costumes are just what you need to stir up the excitement about some of our favorite Halloween reads. Let the eerie and haunting adventures begin!

As you know, here at Once Upon a Book Club, we believe that the magic lies in bringing books to life. Subscribe to our Tween Book Box and let the fun continue all year round.

 

Sources

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. (2022, October 18). CPSC offers safety tips to keep hazards from haunting your Halloween [Press release]. https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2023/CPSC-Offers-Safety-Tips-to-Keep-Hazards-from-Haunting-Your-Halloween