Think about sleepwear - Pyjamas and nighties can work for all sorts of costumes, like The Darlings from Peter Pan or Sophie from The BFG.

Look through EVERYONE'S wardrobes. Dad's tie may make a great Penny Crayon costume and an apron could be fashioned into an Alice in Wonderland dress. Forgotten about the World Book Day costume? Here are 10 simple outfits you can make at home to avoid the last-minute supermarket sweep. Disney characters can have some simple and easy-to-copy outfits, and most of them are based on books.

Peter Rabbit or Lily Bobtail – Beatrix Potter

There were lots more examples. I always wanted to be Mr Strong or Mr Fast but my Mum always related more to me being Mr Messy! Children can record their work on their own achievement chart and be rewarded at the end of the challenge with a certificate.

So, on World Books Day, what better question to ask than, of the billions of books in the world, which are the ones we should make sure our kids are reading? The teen years are when studies show that many children – especially boys – are most likely to stop reading for pleasure, so it’s even more important that the volumes we’re recommending are ones that will draw in rather than deter. This World Book Day, we got between the covers with Principals and leaders from the UAE’s top schools, asking them which tomes are most likely to ignite imagination, spark joy and inspire a child or teen’s love of books and reading. Here’s what they had to say… World Book Day: 18 Books every child should read (or have read to them) before they’re 18 My Family and Other Animals, Gerald Durrell

From Mr Men and Little Miss, to Dr. Seuss and Disney – you may find the perfect costume for your kids. So, leave the school uniform at home and let’s get creative! 1. Cat in the Hat Got a blonde daughter? Put her hair in bunches and send her as Lola from Charlie and Lola. Harry Potter just needs a lightning strike and a pair of round glasses. Go for a 'Blue Peter style' outfit with a bit of cardboard, paint or felt tips A sweet and comfy outfit for school. Dress your child in a nightie and pop some fairy lights in a jar to make ‘wishes’. So with few belongings, just like the current refugees, Paddington arrives in a new country after a long and perilous journey. Chat to your children about how he might have been feeling? Cold? Hungry? Scared? He must have been brave to make that long journey! Paddington shares a lot with the refugees. Also take a look at our World Book Day gallery to see all the fabulous pics of costumes families have sent in over the past couple of years.

My favourite book as a primary school pupil was Gerald Durrell’s “My Family And Other Animals.” I loved the combination of a slightly bonkers but very lovable family and the young Durrell’s curiosity about and kindness towards the animals. Add to these the environments he encountered in a land that was very foreign to him and the book served to fuel my interest in the outdoors, adventure, and travel from a very early age!I loved The Shrinking of Treehorn because it taught me about the importance of making time for people and it also taught me how NOT to be a school Principal. The particular year in these photos we weren’t allowed free reign to choose – we had to create a costume from a specified book. No.1 was given ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’. In case you’re not sure, that’s a Minotaur. Particularly proud of that one. And not at ALL bitter that it didn’t win. Undoubtedly my favourite book as a child was The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall. It was about a young boy living through WW2 who, on an adventure into the woods, found a downed German plane. He, along with his friends, took the weaponry from the plane and built a fortress along with a working gun! Later they’d shoot down a plane and capture the gunner! It was a fantastical tale, but it utterly captivated me. It spoke to my sense of adventure and a belief I could do anything I wanted. I remember shortly after reading this book, I decided I wanted to build a space shuttle. I never did build it, but I still dream! Jo – I vividly remember Josephine March and the imagery her character conjured up – with her poetry writing, her fear of the dentist’s chair, her relationship with her sisters, the sharing of the gloves and the party dress that was ruined by a burn and yet had to be worn!