I love physical books more than e-books, which is why I eagerly anticipate attending the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale in the Philippines. After a hiatus of three years due to the pandemic, I recently discovered that the event is making a return to Manila. The annual Big Bad Wolf Book Sale was first introduced in the Philippines in February 2018 and the most recent one took place in February 2020.

Inspired by the notorious character from the beloved fairy tale, the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale made its debut in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia in May 2009. This event spanned five days and showcased a wide selection of books primarily sourced from BookXcess, a bookstore specializing in surplus or remaindered books obtained from international distributors. The founders of BookXcess, Andrew Yap and Jacqueline Ng, were the creative minds behind this remarkable sale.

Since its inception, the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale has evolved into a colossal book fair that captures the imaginations of readers worldwide. This remarkable event has expanded its reach to multiple countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Myanmar, Pakistan, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates. The book fair offers a diverse range of genres, encompassing fiction, non-fiction, novels, literature, children’s literature, and young adult fiction.

Today, I had the opportunity to attend this extraordinary book sale. The sheer magnitude of books available left me mesmerized. It took us over three hours to navigate the venue and carefully choose the books that piqued our interest.

Big Bad Wolf Manila 2023 invites the public to experience its grandeur, with free admission from June 23 to July 3. This literary extravaganza takes place at the Philippine International Convention Center Forum Tent in Pasay, welcoming visitors from 10 a.m. until 1 a.m. During this event, an astonishing collection of approximately two million books awaits avid readers, with discounts reaching as high as 95%. To facilitate the purchasing process, each book is assigned a specific letter indicating its corresponding selling price.