In and Out of the Belly of the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale

My trip to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale last week was what I expected it to be. It is big and really, really bad. For where else can a reader find hard bound books as low as Php 100.00 pesos with a 2016 copyright but in this book bonanza. I couldn't help but wonder how the organizers and business people behind this sale successfully staged it all. I think of the writers and the creative team who published these books and their royalties.

If anything, Filipino readers with book budget allocations per year benefited a lot from the sale. The selections of titles and how the books were categorized address readers in a very personal way. Fiction books are grouped together occupying more than half of the entire World Trade Center hall. From Young Adult (YA) novels, romance, graphic novels and children's books in various formats and presentations, readers can rummage through the tables to their heart's content. As a school librarian, it was the children's books, YA books and graphic novels areas that enthralled me! A day's visit is not enough.

The Non-Fiction books are likewise geared towards the personal interest of readers as these were arranged according to travel, cookery, hobbies and crafts, history, biography, business and references. Topics that would appeal to individual readers  It does not have the academic arrangement of the Manila International Book Fair. Of course. What was I thinking? This is not to say that librarians and teachers did not benefit from the sale. I met a friends from the profession that day I went and they were happy to acquire 10-15 books for a book budget of 3-5 thousand pesos.

The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is on its last day today, Sunday, February 25. It is the 32nd anniversary of the People Power Revolution. If you have not been to this book sale, go visit and buy a book or two. If you and I can still buy books we want to read, then there is still freedom to be had.

Read and take flight!