Thousands of children have trotted off to school dressed as their favourite storybook characters to mark World Book Day.
Pictures shared on social media included youngsters dressed as Paddington Bear, Gangsta Granny, Miss Honey from Matilda and even the ‘Body Coach’ Joe Wicks.
By far the most popular character was Harry Potter with hundreds of children dressed as the boy wizard.
Coleen Rooney made sure sons Kai, eight, Klay, four, and Kit, two, joined in the fun by dressing up as the BFG and Peter Pan. Meanwhile Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden shared a photo of her daughter Hollie dressed as Mildred Hubble from the Worse Witch book series.
However a survey by Mumsnet found three quarters of mothers and fathers find the annual tradition a ‘hassle’ and a tenth of parents feel they have been ‘judged or disapproved of’ by teachers or fellow parents over their choice of outfit.
A number of primary schools, including Wilby near Wellingborough, Glencairn in North Ayrshire and Lighthorne Heath in Leamington Spa, have liberated parents from the pressure this year by asking children to come in their pyjamas for a bedtime story theme.
The annual celebration of authors, illustrators and reading is marked in more than 100 countries around the world.
World Book Day has launched a three-year campaign to encourage children and adults to ‘Share A Story’ and read together for just 10 minutes a day.
Faye Stedman shared this picture of her Wizard of Oz obsessed seven-year-old daughter Belle, from Bermondsey, dressed as ‘The Tin Man’
Milano, four, and Kenzo, two, from west London, were dressed as Oompa Loompas from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Mimi and Oscar Hobkinson, from Islington in north London, dressed up as Little Miss Sunshine and Mr Bump
Aspiring actor and singer Alice Loftus posted this image of her dressed in Harry Potter costume
Eva Curless posted this image (left) of her daughter dressed as Hermoine Grainger while (right) Rose Edmondson uploaded a picture of his son, Charlie, dressed as Harry Potter – despite his school being closed due to the snow
This girl had a novel take on the Harry Potter costume, by dressing up as the Hogwarts Express
Coleen Rooney led the celeb parents sharing sweet social media posts on Thursday morning to mark World Book Day tweeting a photo of her sons Kai, eight, Klay, four, and Kit, two, dressed up as The BFG and Peter Pan
Former glamour model Jennifer Ellison shared this picture of her son dressed as ‘Captain Hook’
Connel, aged six, was dressed as a Mad Hatter (left) while right one child dressed as fitness coach Joe Wicks
Children dressed as ‘The Cat In The Hat’ (left) and Dorothy Gale (right) from the Wizard of Oz to mark World Book Day
Assistant primary head Naomi Anstice shared this picture of her nine-year-old daughter, Iona, dressed as Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean
Children dressed up as Lady Miranda (pictured with Pug, left) while (right) teachers got into the spirit dressed as Where’s Wally?
Rose Clerkin, three, dressed as the Little Mermaid from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale
This boy was dressed as Flying Fergus from the action-packed adventure stories written by Sir Chris Hoy
These youngsters dressed up in their favourite football strips (Bolton Wanderers left) and players (the ‘Egyptian King’, Mo Salah right)
Anaiya Edwards age three from Hornchurch, Essex dressed as Doc McStuffins – she couldn’t make it into school because of the snowy weather
Lianne Tibbits shared this photo of her son Spencer, four, dressed as The Very Hungry Caterpillar (left) while (right) Skye was dressed in a Hetty Feather costume
Leo O’Connor, three, from Chertsey was dressed as Peter Pan (left) while Olivia Kelly, (right) seven, from Altrincham, went as Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote
Alessandro Mongiovi, aged two from Woking, dressed as Batman to mark World Book Day