The joys of World Book Day
Just as I feel I’m getting into a nice school routine with DD, knowing which homework to do on what day, for example, packing her off with the right kit and picking her up at the right time, the school throws a curve ball that knocks me right off track.
It came this week in the form of an email from our class rep stating that the children must attend school on World Book Day next week dressed as their favourite book character. Furthermore, the character couldn’t be from a TV or film that had spun off into a book; it had to have originated as a book.
Of course I’d heard of the horrors of Book Day from parents of older children but I’d somehow hoped that, like sending kids up chimneys, it would be abolished before my turn came to create a fancy-dress costume from two tissues, an old roller blind and a Cornflakes packet.
Sadly not. And let’s face it, when it comes to anything that involves creativity of the arts and crafts variety, I’m as useful as a juniper berry in a French vineyard. Still, procrastinating does not a Little Red Riding Hood costume make, so I started by trawling the internet for ideas.
I presented DD with the following list, all of which I thought I could achieve with minimal effort and a stiff g&t: Little Red Riding Hood, the cat in the hat, Daisy from the Kes Gray books, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella (rags or riches), the ugly sisters, Rapunzel (I even offered to buy a Rapunzel wig!), Milly Molly Mandy, Darrell from Malory Towers, a pirate from Peter Pan (given she already has a pirate costume), Burglar Bill, Mr Strong, Little Miss Sunshine, Angelina Ballerina, Judy Moody, Lola from Charlie & Lola, and, finally, Little Princess.
DD was unimpressed.
“Hannah Montana?” she asked. Banned: Television before book.
“A Teletubby?” Ditto.
“Barney?” Ditto.
“Oh alright,” she sighed. “I’ll go as the Little Princess.” (I just know she was thinking about the red shoes from “I Want New Shoes”.)
But Little Princess is really aimed at three-year-olds. I realised DD would be a laughing stock among the girls of her class who, being 7 going on 17, will no doubt be coming as something from Sweet Valley High or, worse, The Vampire Diaries.
In desperation, I presented her with the iPad and let her trawl Amazon for ideas. After much deliberation she chose a flammable, nylon Dorothy costume from The Wizard of Oz (it’s the ruby slippers, I’m telling you) that would cost £20 to buy, plus the hire of a private jet to ship it over in time.
Maybe we’ll discover tonight that Dorothy’s “out of stock”. I still have high hopes for Lola (bunches, hair clips, pinafore – cute, wholesome, free). How about you?
To think we’ve already had 2 dress up occasions in one week, my heart sank when reading the said email. However, I immediately cheered up as I realised that’s the day our class comes back from their 2 night away camping trip. Which of course means they don’t have to dress up but can come as grubby looking, slightly smelly kids rescued from the desert! Hooray!
matshila
February 22, 2012 at 9:00 pm
What a result: No Book Day AND DS gone for two nights. Joy must be your middle name! 🙂
mrsdubai
February 26, 2012 at 6:23 pm
my approach is to see what costumes we’ve already got and then find the book to go with that!
seriously, wait til next year when DS is there too. in nursery so far we’ve had international day, national day, chinese new year, mufti day and now book day – we’re only half way through the year and I’ve yet to hear if we’re to be commotioned in the oceaned too
amanda
February 23, 2012 at 11:11 am
I have a spare crab costume if you need it!!! 🙂
mrsdubai
February 26, 2012 at 6:23 pm
Check out the following before hand next time:
http://www.mypartycentre.com/store_locator.php
http://mystiquedubai.com
Hope they help in the future, they have a lot of stuff!
S.J.
August 10, 2012 at 4:11 pm