5 Easy Literary Halloween Costumes Inspired by Classic Children’s Books
27 October, 2025 ● Written by STORYVOR editors
This Halloween, skip the throwaway plastic costumes from the supermarket, and have your children and students make their own based on classic children’s book characters. These five beloved literary-inspired costumes are easy to put together and will give young readers a chance to play-act some of their favorite scenes from the stories. Plus, almost everything you’ll need for these costumes can be thrifted, found in your closet, or crafted at home or in the classroom as fun, DIY group activities.
And if you really want to round out the bookish Halloween costume experience? Read the story to your children and students to get them into character, or play the audiobook while they’re putting together their costumes!
1. Sophie Hatter from Howl’s Moving Castle
Sophie Hatter begins her story as an unassuming, somewhat forgotten young woman, resigned to an ordinary life in her family’s hat shop. But when a witch’s curse turns her elderly, everything changes. Her wit, determination, and kindness make her an inspiring hero for any reader.
What you’ll need:
Old-fashioned blue or gray dress
Floppy hat
A basket, glue or tape, and some “Calcifer” deco made with orange, yellow, and red paper flames + some large paper eyes
Broom or walking stick
Howl’s Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones
When Sophie Hatter unwittingly attracts the attention of the Witch of the Waste, she finds herself transformed into an old woman. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must infiltrate the ever-moving castle in the hills, handle the heartless Wizard Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there’s far more to the irresistibly charming Howl — and herself — than first meets the eye.
2. Mr. Tumnus from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The gentle faun who welcomes Lucy into Narnia with tea, music, and stories by the fire, Mr. Tumnus is the very soul of winter warmth.
What you’ll need:
White button-down shirt and black trousers
Fluffy red scarf
Headband with goat ears (or horns)
Black umbrella
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
by C.S. Lewis
Four siblings step through a mysterious wardrobe and into the magical Narnia, a once-peaceful land now frozen in snow and stone by the cruelty of the evil White Witch. Only the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, can put an end to the White Witch’s tyranny and restore peace.
3. The Prince from The Little Prince
A traveler among the stars, teaching us that “what is essential is invisible to the eye,” the Little Prince is one of the most beloved characters from recent centuries, full of wonder, whimsy, and wisdom.
What you’ll need:
Green pants or jumpsuit
Red bowtie
Paper rose and/or cardboard gold star
Yellow wig or knitted beanie for the prince’s hair
The Little Prince
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
When a pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert, he meets a little boy who asks him to draw a sheep. Gradually the Little Prince reveals more about himself: He comes from a small asteroid, where he lived alone until a rose grew there. . . .
4. Max from Where the Wild Things Are
For children who like a good rumpus! Wild, curious, and full of imagination, Max makes a great choice for a costume as the clothes are simple (pajamas!), and crafting the crown and scepter are both easily adaptable activities.
What you’ll need:
White hoodie and sweatpants (or ideally, a pajama onesie like in the book)
Paper or felt crown
A scepter (can be anything, such as a wooden spoon, or you can make your own in a craft project)
Optional: stuffed “Wild Thing”
Where the Wild Things Are
by Maurice Sendak
When Max dresses in his wolf suit and causes havoc in the house, his mother sends him to bed. From there, Max sets sail to an island inhabited by the Wild Things, who name him king and share a wild rumpus with him. But then from far away across the world, Max smells good things to eat...
6. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come from A Christmas Carol
Christmas is just around the corner, so it’s not too early for this one: Silent, shadowy, and steeped in story, this is the ghost who shows Scrooge the future, and reminds us that it’s never too late to change.
What you’ll need:
Long black cloak or hooded robe
A scary tombstone scroll with Scrooge’s name on it (or the printed short story, if you like, to hand out wherever you go)
Optional: pale makeup or gray scarf for extra spookiness
A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
This timeless tale of an arrogant miser's transformation into a paragon of warmhearted generosity, recounted by one of the English language's most popular authors, is as much a part of the season as holly and mistletoe.
