Look back at 175 quirky pictures of children celebrating World Book Day — world book day photos revisited

Mo. Basuony

Published: February 23, 2026 9:22 AM ET

Look back at 175 quirky pictures of children celebrating World Book Day — world book day photos revisited

With world book day right around the corner on Thursday, March 5, photographers and schools have revisited costumes and archive images from previous years. The theme 'Go All In' is in place this year and youngsters are set to benefit from a book token to spend at participating stores.

World Book Day features in Portsmouth

Organisers have taken a look back at last year’s incredible outfits across Portsmouth and its surrounding area, with children dressing up from Where's Wally to Harry Potter to Dear Zoo. Staff and pupils from Victory Primary School dressed to impress for World Book Day 2025, with pupils, staff and Buddy the dog all photographed in costume. Photos by Alex Shute Photo: Alex Shute were used to capture the event. The retrospective notes the push to 'Go All In' in a bid to promote the importance of reading in a modern and fun way, and reiterates that youngsters also benefited from a book token to spend at participating stores. Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Cheshire's creative outfits

WORLD Book Day 2026 is noted as fast approaching, with the literary event set for March 5. Children at schools and nurseries across Cheshire will be celebrating World Book Day in style. Here's a look back at some of the best costumes from World Book Day 2025 and a selection of named youngsters who featured:

Kenzie Lowndes from Weaverham as Mr Bump.
Eight-year-old Keffran McGrath-McElhoney as Hattie Peck.
Eleven-year-old Louie Whittaker as Violet Beauregarde.
Swayze, Kismet and Kasteel Lumsden as Willy Wonka, an Oompa Loompa and Charlie Bucket.
Two-year-old Leo Woodward as Postman Pat.
Five-year-old Ava Rose Leigh as Elsa, from Barnton Primary School (Image: Supplied).
Darnhall Primary School student Freddie Burke, seven, as Elmer the elephant (Image: Supplied).
Ten-week-old Joseph Lambert as Where's Wally (Image: Supplied).
The Smeds and The Smoos, Daisy Smith and Freddie Lee, six, who go to Wincham Primary School (Image: Supplied).

What will your little ones be dressing up as this year? Let us know in the comments.

Historic photos from Warrington schools

Archive images spanning 2005–2015 show a broad history of school celebrations. Items included in the archive are:

St Pauls in Burtonwood, 2014 (Image: NQ).
St Peters, Woolston, 2012 (Image: NQ).
Penketh Primary, 2012 – left to right in the rear: Kiera Gerrard, Adam Glover, Jake Parker, Taya Currie, Gabrielle Andrus, and Ayesha Williams, with Ryan Williams and Charlotte Downes at the front (Image: NQ).
Woolston Community Primary School, 2008 (Image: NQ).
St Bridgets School, 2011 – Lily Harrison, 8, gets a fright from skeleton Daryl Richardson, 9 (Image: NQ).
Penketh Primary School having a mad hatter tea party in 2014 – Olivia Tran as Alice, Tilly Unsworth as the white rabbit, and a handful of hatters (Image: NQ).
Statham Primary School, 2013 (Image: NQ).
St Monica's Primary School, 2014 (Image: NQ).
St Monica's Primary, 2014 – Ryan Jervis, Emilia Manfredi, Sam Harrison, Georgia Povey, and Fabienne Fisher (Image: NQ).
Stockton Heath Primary School, 2015 (Image: NQ).
St Monica's Primary, 2014 – Raphael Tabiner, Millie Haselden, Harry Smithers, and Ben Warburton (Image: NQ).
St Vincent's Primary, 2015 (Image: NQ).
Bruche Community Primary School, 2015 (Image: NQ).
Ravenbank Primary, Lymm, 2014 (Image: NQ).
Locking Stumps Community Primary School, 2005 – pictured at the front is Sean Whitehead aged 8 as Captain Hook (Image: NQ).
Bradshaw Primary School, 2005 – pictured at the front is Jade Sweeney aged 9 as Shrek (Image: NQ).
Newchurch Primary School, 2005 – pictured from left are Amy Will, 7, Eleanor Dunston, 6, Oliver Weight, 7 and Richard Scholes, 7 (Image: NQ).

Other notes and briefs

Among other items carried alongside the photo roundups were a set of varied short briefs. One note states Breece Hall seems willing to consider all options this offseason. A separate item summarises that, from breast cancer recovery to a sprained tendon, the couple explains how running became their outlet and their anchor. In a daily round-up style line, it is recorded: In today's edition: USA tops Canada, final medal tally, MLS kicks off, spring training begins, Duke tops Michigan, James Milner makes history, and more. Financial coverage notes that the S&P 500 was on track for double-digit earnings growth, with more than half of companies having reported Q4 results so far. And a sports brief records that the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is here, and viewers can watch some of college football's biggest names prep for the NFL all week long.

Photographs, named pupils, archive dates and the 175-picture retrospective together paint a picture of how communities have celebrated reading and costumes in recent years, ahead of the next World Book Day.

Closing: The collections and named images across Portsmouth, Cheshire and Warrington present an extensive visual record of book-themed celebrations from 2005 through 2015 and costumes highlighted in 2025, as organisers ready activities for March 5.