I'm linking up with The Broke and the Bookish for another Top Ten Tuesday.
After I posted my recommendations for suspenseful novels last year, I realized that I'd actually participated in the TTT Halloween Freebie the year before... and recommended several of the same books. So I am not going to make that mistake again! I'm choosing a totally different take on the theme this year.
In looking for ideas for literary Halloween costumes, I determined that there are really only a couple of options if you want anyone to recognize your costume. You can pick a character from an illustrated children's book, you can pick a book that has been turned into a TV show or movie and dress the way a character is portrayed on screen, or in more rare instances you can find a character who is depicted in a memorable way on the book cover and also (usually) described in detail in the book. That's about it.
Given those constraints, here are the characters I would consider being for Halloween, assuming I had the money and/or creativity to buy or create a costume...
1. Anne (from Anne of Green Gables)
I once dressed up as Anne to give an oral book report about this book in 6th grade. My hair is no longer red enough or long enough to look like her, though (nor am I a child anymore), so maybe I could try the more mature look from Anne of Avonlea?
2. Hermione Granger (from the Harry Potter series)
I did dress up as Hermione for a Harry Potter party one time in college — I do have the hair for Hermione — so I could definitely pull this one out again if needed. My master's graduation gown would make an even better Hogwarts robe than I had back then.
3. Kate Wetherall (from The Mysterious Benedict Society)
I was only introduced to this series last year as an adult, or I would have totally been Kate for Halloween years ago. Even with her iconic red bucket, though, I don't know that many people would recognize this character.
4. Mary Poppins (from Mary Poppins)
This is a case where the most recognizable version of the costume definitely comes more from the movie, but that's OK — the character's better in the movie anyway.
5. The Mathemagician (from The Phantom Tollbooth)
As much as I love to read, I also love data, so I could certainly be at home in the King of Digitopolis' numerical robe with his giant magical pencil.
6. Matilda (from Matilda)
I adore both this book and this movie, and her movie look is recognizable enough that this could be a great costume, especially if you pull around a red wagon full of books!
7. Miss Nogard (from Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger)
Here's one that definitely no one would get, but I would still do it because she's probably my favorite character from the goofy Wayside School series. She's identifiable by the third ear on top of her head that lets her read people's minds!
8. Polgara (from the Belgariad series)
One Halloween when I was in middle school my friends and I all dressed up as characters from this series because we were (are) nerds. We all had assigned ourselves various characters that were related to people's personalities and looks and who was going out with whom at the time. I was Velvet, who is one of my favorite characters but does not have anything in the way of a recognizable costume, so if I were going to be a character from the series again, I'd pick Polgara.
9. Sherlock Holmes (from The Complete Sherlock Holmes)
Here's a literary character with a well-known look! You just need the hat, coat, and pipe, and everyone will know who you are.
10. Strega Nona (from Strega Nona)
This is one of my favorite children's books, and I was disappointed after getting a copy for my toddler to realize that it's way too long for his current attention span. For this costume I would channel my Italian roots to dress as this Calabrian "granny" and carry around a pot of never-ending pasta :)
Which characters would you be for Halloween?
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