Australian schools are imposing a string of unexpected Book Week costume rules, leaving some parents scrambling to rethink what their children will wear as the annual celebration of books and reading begins.

7News reports that one Christian school in Queensland, students have been asked not to dress as wizards, witches, zombies or characters carrying weapons, citing the school’s Christian values.

The rule effectively rules out characters from popular series such as Harry Potter, one of the world’s biggest literary franchises.

Other schools have introduced different restrictions.

A South Australian Catholic school has banned political figures and characters from fanfiction, while a Christian school in New South Wales has prohibited inflatable costumes.

A Victorian Christian school has told families to choose characters from books rather than figures known only from film or television.

Meanwhile, All Saints Grammar in Sydney has encouraged parents to make costumes rather than simply buying them.

“There’s no imagination or learning involved in hitting ‘add to cart’,” the school said, arguing that creating costumes together can become part of the Book Week experience.

The differing rules have sparked concerns about cost and accessibility, particularly for families already dealing with rising living costs and limited time.

Ready-made costumes are widely available from retailers including Kmart, BIG W and Officeworks, while many families reuse costumes for Halloween and other events.

Book Week is intended to encourage children to engage with books and reading, but the growing list of costume restrictions means parents are now being asked to navigate a patchwork of rules that can vary significantly between schools and states.

Support our Journalism

No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.