Calling all bookworms and book dragons! Host a book-themed birthday party this year to show off your love of literature and immerse guests in one of your favorite fictional worlds. We have fun bookish themes and ideas to help you plan a book birthday party that’s sure to be a page-turner.
Book themes aren’t just for birthdays, though! Everything in this post can be easily adapted and used for other gatherings, like book club meetings, reading parties, or even weddings.
Timeless Tales
Step into the elegance of a bygone era with a classic literature-themed party. This theme is for lovers of authors like Jane Austen and Ernest Hemingway.
🪶 Decor
Set up vintage book displays or typewriters with floral arrangements and lace doilies for a timeless look. A banner made of book pages stating which chapter they are on (the age they are turning) is perfect for a book birthday party! Add touches like quill pens, inkwells, and old clocks to enhance the ambiance.
🥐 Menu
Serve a traditional English tea party with finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and a selection of teas. Find unique ways to tie in your favorite classic novels, like seed cake from Jane Eyre or mini lemon cakes from The Great Gatsby.
🎻 Entertainment
Nothing complements classic books like classical music. Hire a violinist to provide a relaxing atmosphere as you mix and mingle with your guests.
Childhood Wonderland
Revisit your favorites from when you were little with a book party themed around childhood classics. Enter a world of imagination inspired by beloved tales like Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh.
🌷 Decor
For Alice lovers, go with floating teacups, oversized playing cards, and giant mushrooms. If want something more muted and charming, use colorful bunting, paper lanterns, and flowers for a sweet forest inspired by the Hundred Acre Woods or The Secret Garden.
🍫 Menu
Serve a whimsical menu inspired by your favorite story, such as Mad Hatter tea party treats like “Eat Me” cookies and “Drink Me” potions. If sugar is your passion, create a candy and dessert buffet Wonka would be jealous of. Or, add a little “hunny” for a Winnie the Pooh sweet everyone will love.
🍿 Entertainment
Books and movies often go hand in hand. Since many of these stories have been brought to life on the big screen over the years, you could set up an outdoor movie screen and turn your book party into a backyard movie night.
😃 Planning a children’s party for a little reader? We have some great ideas for a bookworm party for kids, as well!
Epic Fantasy Adventure
Send your guests on a legendary quest with a fantasy-themed book party. Draw inspiration from favorites like Lord of the Rings or the Sarah J. Maas universe to transport everyone to a magical world far different from our own.
🌳 Decor
Create a mystical forest setting with artificial trees, fairy lights, and moss-covered surfaces. Add elements unique to your favorite story, like a “no admittance” sign from the Shire. Or, for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses, turn your venue into Velaris with magical starry night decor — perfect for more formal parties!
🍗 Menu
Serve a feast fit for a king with hearty dishes like roasted meats, savory pies, and rustic bread. Offer a selection of ales, meads, and wines served in goblets and tankards. Finish with themed treats like the filling Elvin lembas bread or delicious Thimblets from the cozy fantasy book Legends & Lattes.
⚔️ Entertainment
There is a lot of fun to be had with a fantasy book theme. Rent inflatables for an exciting but safe battle royale. And let everyone stretch those cosplay skills with a costume contest of their favorite fantasy characters!
Dragon’s Lair
Dragons are an element of fantasy books, but they’re cool enough to deserve their own book birthday party theme! Especially with popular fan-favorite series like Game of Thrones and Fourth Wing to draw inspiration from.
🐉 Decor
Create a medieval atmosphere with stone-like textures, castle backdrops, and dragon-themed props. Hang banners with dragon emblems and scatter dragon eggs around the party area. Use flickering LED candles to mimic torchlight and set the mood.
🍷 Menu
Bring the heat with spicy dishes that will have guests breathing fire. Set up a hot wing buffet with various levels of intensity (and play a game of Truth or Dab!). For dessert, serve cake or cupcakes with themed toppers or designs that look like dragon scales.
🔥 Entertainment
Put a twist on your favorite kids’ or adult Easter games, but use dragon eggs instead of Easter eggs. Host an epic dragon egg scavenger hunt to find hidden treasure. Or, turn up the heat with a fire performer. Since you can’t have a fire-breathing dragon, why not have a human do it?
Magical Realm
This book birthday party is for the Harry Potter fanatics or lovers of all things mystical and witchy! Create a magical world fit for all the witches and wizards on your guest list.
🔮 Decor
Floating candles, potion bottles, and mystical runes, combined with dark colors and velvet fabrics, will create a fantastical ambiance. For an extra magical touch, incorporate elements like wands, spell books, and crystal balls.
🍺 Menu
Serve tasty Harry Potter-inspired treats like butterbeer, chocolate frogs, or licorice wands. You can also create a themed cake around your book of choice or build a dessert table featuring treats inspired by magical creatures and spells.
🪄 Entertainment
Add some actual magic to your book birthday party with a live magician or illusionist who will leave your guests in awe. If you want something more low-key or will have little ones in attendance, organize a wand-making workshop and stretch those DIY skills.
Chills and Thrills
Delve into the dark and mysterious world of horror and thriller books with a party that will send shivers down your guests’ spines. This book-themed party is for the lovers of authors like Stephen King, Agatha Christie, or Riley Sager.
🕸️ Decor
Borrow from your Halloween decorations to create a dark, spooky atmosphere with a black, red, and grey color scheme. To complete the look, use fake spider webs, eerie sound effects, and book-specific accents. Dim the lights and use candles or lanterns for a ghostly glow.
🩸 Menu
Prepare a selection of chilling treats inspired by your favorite thriller books or horror tropes. Serve cupcakes with “blood” splattered on top, or have a crime-scene birthday cake for the true-crime junkies. We also love the idea of a “You’ll Float, Too” ice cream float inspired by Stephen King’s It.
🔎 Entertainment
Bring your favorite stories to life by hosting your own murder mystery party! Choose a unique plot or adapt one from a favorite book. If you have the skills, write it yourself, or hire a professional murder mystery company to set the perfect crime scene.
Romancing the Pages
Indulge in a celebration of love with a book party inspired by all your favorite romance novels. From historical romance and regency romances like Bridgerton to contemporary romances from popular authors like Colleen Hoover or Nicholas Sparks, all you need is a little love to pull off this theme.
💖 Decor
Set the scene with romantic elements like hearts, flowers, and candles. Get crafty or scour Etsy for wall art and party decor themed around your romance novels of choice. Set up a photo booth with props like heart-shaped glasses and feather boas.
🥂 Menu
Your menu should be as sweet and simple as a romantic comedy. Stick with finger foods, canapés, and charcuterie boards, and tie in bookish bites like Atlas’ chocolate chip cookies from It Ends With Us. Quench your guests’ thirst with wine, champagne, and book-themed cocktails.
🥰 Entertainment
Romance readers love to share their favorite books, so host a book exchange! Borrow ideas from classic holiday gift exchanges for a fun party twist with games or trivia mixed in. For an outgoing bunch, hire a DJ for a dance party or karaoke with a book-inspired or rom-com playlist.
🤫 Bonus idea! Take a page from Silent Book Club and set aside time during your book party for everyone to quietly read a book of their choosing together.
A book-themed birthday party is a wonderful way to celebrate and share your love of books with friends and family. Whether you choose a classic theme or a fantastical adventure, there are endless possibilities for creating a memorable and immersive experience for all. 📖
Book something awesome for your book birthday party! Find the best entertainers and service providers on GigSalad.
Heather is the Content Manager and a GigSalad veteran of 15+ years. She loves helping event planners create unforgettable celebrations and talent make a living doing what they love. When not at work, she enjoys reading romance and fantasy books, bingeing TV shows, playing board games, and spending time with friends.
Wow, this post is filled with great ideas!! I can’t wait to incorporate these into events for my friends. 10/10!!!