35 Best Literary Halloween Costumes for Teachers

By / / Education / 7 minutes of reading


If there’s any way to get a teacher excited about Halloween, it’s to gather inspiration from some of the best literary Halloween costumes out there. Whether you’re a dedicated English teacher or just a self-proclaimed “word nerd,” we bet there’s something here to get your creative juices flowing and get you psyched about the impending arrival of one of our favorite holidays—and maybe even educate your students at the same time!

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Individual Literary Halloween Costumes for Teachers

Group Literary Halloween Costumes for Teachers

Individual Literary Halloween Costumes for Teachers

Danielle F. for We Are Teachers

Diction-Fairy

Who doesn’t love a good costume pun? Pick up an old dictionary at the thrift store, then use its pages to cover this set of wings from Amazon. Ta-da!

Teacher dressed in a homemade book costume for Halloween
Ms. Lupe Palacios for We Are Teachers

A Book

The teacher who crafted this clever costume notes that it opened up to a short story inside, while the back showcased “reviews” from students. So cool!

Teacher dressed as Mo Willem's pigeon, with a sign saying Let me drive the bus!
Amy B., pre-K–6 librarian, for We Are Teachers

Mo Willems’ Pigeon

Dressing like this beloved mischievous bird is easy with a knit cap from Etsy seller Allie Hats. Attach the sign to a yardstick and stick it in your back pocket, and you’ll have a “caption” all day long!

Teacher dressed as the Very Hungry Caterpillar for Halloween
Presley, 2nd grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Very Hungry Caterpillar

Want to make this costume even funnier? Spend the day constantly eating some of the items from the book! Grab the green tutu on Amazon and use your creativity for the rest.

Teacher wearing a green ribbon bow around her neck
Jen E., middle school ELA teacher, for We Are Teachers

The Girl With the Green Ribbon

Remember that creepy tale from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark? She’d never take off her ribbon, and never tell anyone why …

Teacher wearing a green dress with vines wrapped around it to be Poison Ivy for Halloween
Daletta G. for We Are Teachers

Poison Ivy

Comic books are books too. It’s easy to find artificial ivy strings. Just dress in green, wrap yourself in vines, and you’ve transformed into the classic comic book character!

Teacher wearing a plush donut costume
J. Douglas, 4th grade teacher, for We Are Teachers
Teacher dressed as the mouse from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Presley, 2nd grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

This idea comes together in a snap with a pair of overalls and some mouse ears. Use cardboard to make a big cookie, and you’re good to go.

Teacher dressed as Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's
Heather Q., 8th grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Holly Golightly

Channel your inner Audrey Hepburn for this costume based on the movie version of Capote’s classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Librarian dressed as Pete the Cat, holding a stuffed Pete and a copy of a Pete the Cat book
Amy B., pre-K–6 librarian, for We Are Teachers

Pete the Cat

Add big colorful buttons to a yellow shirt, add some cat ears, and you’ve got a Pete the Cat costume! If you can do the different-colored sneakers, even better.

Teacher dressed as the main character from the book A Bad Case of the Stripes
Presley, 2nd grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

A Bad Case of the Stripes

Kids will adore this super-colorful costume. If you don’t want to paint your arms and legs with face paint, you can buy striped leggings and a striped long-sleeve shirt instead.

Teacher dressed as Fly Guy and holding the picture book
Sarah A., 2nd grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Fly Guy

Those fly eyes made from paper plates are totally cute and easy enough for any teacher to make. You can also make your own wings, or pick up a pair on Amazon.

Teacher dressed as Phileas Fogg in a hot air balloon costume for Halloween
Lisa Jacobs for We Are Teachers

Phileas Fogg

If you really love putting effort into your costumes, take inspiration from this incredible Around the World in 80 Days costume. A giant beach ball balanced in a Hula-Hoop forms the “balloon,” and a pair of steampunk goggles adds an authentic touch.

Teacher dressed as Super Reader, wearing a cape made of material that looks like book pages
Amy, pre-K–6 librarian, for We Are Teachers

Super Reader

Readers are the real superheroes! Make a cape from old book pages, or buy some book-printed fabric instead.

Teacher dressed as the main character from the book Pinkalicious
Brooke Reynolds, 4th grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Pinkalicious

Is it possible to like the color pink too much? Nah, of course not! Here’s the pink boa and tutu you need for this costume from Amazon.

Teacher dressed as the character Ms. Frizzle for Halloween
Presley, 2nd grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Ms. Frizzle

This is one of those teacher Halloween costumes that’s become a perennial favorite. Don’t forget to attach a stuffed lizard pal to your shoulder!

Teacher dressed as a stereotypical grumpy old librarian for Halloween
Morgan M., 4th grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Grumpy Librarian

Today’s librarians are nothing like the stern, grumpy book guardians of days gone by. That makes it fun to dress as one of them for a day! Don’t forget the reading glasses on a chain for a finishing touch.

Teachers dressed in striped shirts in hats as Where's Waldo?
Brianna Sayegh, high school teacher, for We Are Teachers

Where’s Waldo?

This one works as a solo costume or one for you and your teacher BFF. Wear your own striped shirt, or buy a Waldo costume on Amazon.

Group Literary Halloween Costumes for Teachers

Group of teachers dressed in police uniforms as the Grammar Police
Katarina Lupson, 4th grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Grammar Police

Stop in the name of the Oxford comma! Don’t try to get away with any double negatives, either.

Teachers dressed as characters from The Magic Schoolbus
Gabriella S. for We Are Teachers

The Magic School Bus

Where would Ms. Frizzle be without the rest of the gang? Extra points if you can convince someone to dress up as the bus itself.

Group of teachers dressed as book character Junie B. Jones from different books
Gabriella S. for We Are Teachers

Junie B. Jones

This childhood favorite has been through dozens of adventures and looks a little different each time. That makes this a fantastic group costume, with each teacher dressing as their own version of Junie.

Teachers dressed as Party Animals for Halloween
Kaitlyn H., kindergarten, ESL, for We Are Teachers

Party Animals

Mix animal costumes with birthday hats and noisemakers, and you’ve got the whole cast of characters from Tara Lazar’s adorable book!

Teachers wearing colorful tutus and t-shirts to represent One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Brittany G., 3rd grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

The colorful tutus are fun, but it’s those headbands that really make this teacher team costume pop!

Teacher duo dressed as The Lorax and Sneed
Amy, pre-K–6 librarian, for We Are Teachers
Teachers dressed as characters from Frog and Toad are Friends
Melanie Nielsen, 2nd grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Frog and Toad

This is an amazing costume idea for two teacher besties. They’re friends forever, just like Frog and Toad!

Teachers and school staff dressed as farm animals and other characters from Charlotte's Web
Brittany G., 3rd grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Charlotte’s Web

Want something the entire school can get in on? Try the farm animals and other characters from Charlotte’s Web!

A group of teachers dressed as characters from Laura Numeroff books
Stephanie Gable, 1st grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Laura Numeroff Characters

If you give a teacher a Laura Numeroff book, they’ll turn it into a Halloween costume! Each teacher can pick their own favorite.

Group of teachers dressed to represent the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Hilary Statum, kindergarten teacher, for We Are Teachers

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

How cute is this idea? Brown overalls covered in letters of the alphabet topped with palm leaves and coconuts make an easy costume that works for groups or individuals.

Teachers dressed as Winnie the Pooh characters for Halloween
Brooke B., 4th grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Winnie-the-Pooh

You can go all out with Pooh-themed costumes, but you don’t need to. These simple T-shirts and headbands get the idea across perfectly, and are much more practical.

Teachers dressed as characters from the book The Bad Seed
Willa Barron, 8th grade ELA teacher, for We Are Teachers

The Bad Seed

Pick up some big sheets of poster board and create your own costumes for the characters from the popular picture book series. These kids made their teacher be the Bad Seed!

Teachers dressed as characters from the book Room on the Broom
Hilary Statum, kindergarten teacher, for We Are Teachers

Room on the Broom

This book is absolutely perfect for group teacher Halloween costumes. We especially love the teacher dressed as the broom itself!

Teachers dressed as characters from The Avengers
Stephanie Gable, 1st grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

The Avengers

We all know teachers are superheroes, so this comic book group costume seems especially appropriate.

Teachers dressed as characters from Dr. Seuss books
Amy, pre-K–6 librarian, for We Are Teachers

Seuss Characters

Every kid knows their Dr. Seuss characters, and the huge array of books gives you so many to choose from. Try this Cat in the Hat accessory set for an easy idea.

Teachers dressed a colorful crayons
Stephanie Sanders, 2nd grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

The Day the Crayons Quit

Crayon costumes are always a hit, and you can even theme them to the popular book. Birthday hats in multiple colors make perfect toppers.

Group of teachers dressed as characters from the Wizard of Oz
Brittany G., 3rd grade teacher, for We Are Teachers

Wizard of Oz

This group costume idea is always a lot of fun, and there are lots of characters available for big teams.

If you liked these literary Halloween costumes, check out more of our favorite Teacher Halloween Costumes.

Have you worn literary Halloween costumes not included on this list? Come and share pictures in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.



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About The Author

Avatar of Brenda Gray
Brenda Gray is a news writer for the Hold Tight Podcast. She writes about sports, education, and tech, with a focus on local stories that impact her community. Brenda has been writing for over 10 years and uses her skills to help inform the public about important issues. She also has a passion for playing the piano and enjoys spending time with her family when she's not working!

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