I was firmly planning to stick with catching up on all the books I have to review today… until I saw this week’s Top 10 Tuesday theme pop up in my feed. (Thank you, Maureen!) I might not have mentioned this before, but I love dressing up, and dressing up as a book character is even more fun. Here, roughly in the order I met them, are some characters from youth and teen fantasy books I’d love to dress up as. Check out the page at the Broke and the Bookish for both literary costume ideas and creepy books for Halloween!

Pippi Longstocking from the books by Astrid Lindgren – because Pippi is an early strong girl character, and she has that instant recognition factor.

Eowyn from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien – LOTR was sacred in my house growing up, and Eowyn was my favorite, because she actually did something. (you can tell the books were important because I had them read to me before I was old enough to read A Wrinkle in Time to myself….)

Meg from A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle – I’ve talked enough about why I love this book, I think – but messy hair, a black eye, a plaid skirt, and my regular glasses would make a great Meg costume!

Menolly from the Harper Hall books by Anne McCaffrey – back when I was a lonely music- and book-loving teen, being a Harper on Pern seemed like a lovely career goal. I’m happily more content with my own life now, but it would still be wonderful to wear Harper blue for a night!

Aeryn from The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley – another favorite since forever. And fighting dragons is awesome!

Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series – because I love these books, and I already have the robe. I’d just need to needle-felt some radish earrings for myself…

Lirael of the Clayr from the Abhorsen books by Garth Nix – she’s a magical librarian! Plus her outfit is distinctive and described so clearly in the books that I’ve been wanting to make her outfit for, oh, a decade or so.

A Shadowhunter from the Infernal Devices book by Cassandra Clare. I’m going with the steampunky series, both because I liked it better and because I think Shadowhunter tattoos would look cool against my dark teal Victorian ball gown.

Blue Sargent from The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater – I confess, I’m not quite sure how to pull this one off beyond a visit to the thrift store – but that’s not stopping me from thinking about trying.

Lucy Carlyle from the Lockwood & Co. books by Jonathan Stroud – dark top, leggings, skirt, heavy boots, rapier, silver chain, and assorted small bags to turn me into an agent fit to fight Visitors from beyond the grave sounds both easy and appropriate for Halloween. I think I’m going to convince my son, who wants a costume that will include his rapier, to go as Tony Lockwood himself. (Check out some fan art here: http://www.deviantart.com/art/Ghost-Hunting-471565845)