Book Week is one of the biggest events in the Australian school calendar for both book lovers and authors. And it is so much fun! How could it not be? There’s the school visits, workshops with kids, the ‘dress-up' as a book character and the highs and lows as a parent of ‘whipping up’ a book week costume.
I had a ball making this Book Week parade costume this year. My son was deep in reading the latest book from the Tom Gates series by UK author, Liz Pichon. And yes this costume was ‘whipped up’ at 8pm the night before the parade.
I wanted junior age 9 to be involved in making it so chose a simple cardboard mask and designed his own T-shirt. I used the below materials;
Old stained kids white tshirt from back of wardrobe
Black laundry marker Sharpie pen
Black permanent marker pen
Thick white cardboard (cut from an old box)
Thin elastic salvaged from sewing box
I drew the outline of book character’s face on the cardboard and Junior drew around it. I cut in some eye holes so Junior wouldn’t walk into people when wearing the mask. Using a pencil, I poked two holes by the ears so I could tie in the elastic. This meant the mask would sit on his face comfortably.
I also drew some of the lettering on the t-shirt with the laundry marker pen, but the final artwork was mostly Juniors great work. He copied lettering and doodles off the cover of a Tom Gates book. It’s about books after all isn’t it! Junior was so proud of his costume.
Home made is the best! What did your kids dress your up as for Book Week?