Why should the children have all the fun on World Book Day this Thursday?  Let’s make this the year parents and teachers get in on the act.  We all have our favourite literary characters, but practicality is important: you are unlikely to fashion a very elaborate costume in the next two days.

The lovely tutors at Better Tuition, (Urmston and Stretford’s leading tutors in maths, English, Science and entrance exams) have put their heads together to save you time and come up with some easy World Book Day costumes for parents and teachers.  We expect photos, please!

1. Miss Jean Brodie (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie)

   Costume: mainly tweed.

   Special Instructions: point at stuff with massive ruler.  Be dictatorial.

2. Professor Snape (Harry Potter series)

   Costume: black, billowy and sinister.

   Special Instructions: be ruthless.

3. God (The Bible)

   Costume: 18 inch beard, which you can grow in around three years.  If you haven’t started in advance, you can plan this for World Book Day 2015.

   Special Instructions: be commanding!

4. Captain Corelli (Captain Corelli’s Mandolin)

   Costume: Mandolin.

   Special Instructions: wear a fed up expression all day.  Stare into the distance.

5. Tess (Tess of the D’Urbervilles)

   Costume: Wild, flowing hair.  Carving knife.

   Special instructions: make very bad, life-changing decisions all day long.

6. Lennie (Of Mice and Men)

   Costume: Dungarees; puppy (inanimate).

   Special Instructions: probably best to stay away from women and animals today.

7. The dog (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night)

   Costume: collar and lead.

   Special instructions: lie still on grass (this is a good one for night-shift workers).

8. Bridget Jones (Bridget Jones’ Diary)

   Costume: modern

   Special instructions: drink Chardonnay; apply lip gloss under bedcovers.

9. Boo Radley, To Kill a Mocking Bird

   Costume: unobtrusive

   Special Instructions: stay at home and stare from window.

10.  Big Brother (1984)

Costume: invisibility suit. I don’t know where you get them, I just come up with the ideas.

Special Instructions: eavesdrop mercilessly.

We will all be dressing up on World Book Day, so please call in and see us on Thursday and show us your own costume!