To my family and close friends, it is no secret that I am huge fan of books. For practicing writers, a book is a fuel that keeps the engines going. That is why I was devastated when I wasn’t able to get to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale when it first came to the Philippines earlier this year, on February 16, at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
Big Bad Wolf is a book fair that is touted to be the biggest in the world. It is handled by the Malaysian company, BookXcess, which is owned by the husband and wife tandem, Andrew Yap and Jacqueline Ng.
I was busy, I was preoccupied. Excuses. But luck seemed to be on my side this time. When news broke out that another Big Bad Wolf event would take place in Cebu this July, and a Facebook page of the event started organizing online contests to give away advance or preview passes to winners, I made sure I wouldn’t miss this chance.
And on June 30, I won an exclusive pass for two to the book fair’s Preview Day on July 12, ahead of the official opening on July 13. This meant I’d be one of the selected people who’d get first dibs on the books displayed. #blessedt
I soon traveled to Cebu City and finally found myself in the IEC Convention Center. Before me was a sprawling floor of books upon books upon books. There were gorgeous coffeetable books on design and architecture, beautiful tomes of award-winning literatures, collections of poetry and short stories, biographies and memoirs, book sets for children’s, books for gardening, books for cooking and baking, books for a whole lot of things. Anything you can imagine it is most probably in here. For 60% to 80% less of their original price.
My friend and I entered the book fair at 10AM. We left the venue at 4PM. What an experience. Below are tips and a couple of things we have learned and might prove useful to future visitors to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale.
Are you ready? Read on...
1. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
This may sound negligible, but I tell you, this matters a lot. You’d be moving around the venue for hours just to find the perfect book for you (and probably also for your family and your friends), so wearing something that’s uncomfortable should be the least of your concerns. Besides, this is not a fashion show.
2. Create a list.
Before you go to the book fair, make a list of books (of a particular genre) that you’d like to buy. Save it on your phone. This would serve as your reference and would allow you more time to check out the rest of the items in the book fair. Since genres are each designated to and organized in separate tables, it would be easier for you to locate the area that you need to be in.
3. Do not go in hungry and thirsty.
You won’t be aware of it but you’d spend hours going through all the tables in the book fair, and since the security personnel at the entrance would ask you to leave all your water bottles and snacks outside, it is best that you enter the venue already well-fed and well-hydrated.
4. Bring some friends.
Aside from helping you find the books you want (or simply having someone to approve on the books you want to buy like a motivating coach) and vice versa, a friend could assist you on the books you’ve bought. Compare lists (refer to tip #2) and help each other track down these titles. When you notice the queue to the cashier becomes too long (just like on Preview Day), you can ask your friend to start joining in the line in advance while you continue checking out the tables for more possible purchases.
5. Have loads of patience.
The line or queue to the cashier is always long and winding. The book you’ve always wanted might not be available. The basket of books you leave for a second in one corner suddenly vanishes. People might bump or unintentionally hit you (or worse, hit you with a shopping cart of hardbound books) since the place could get easily crowded. No matter the situation, do not go hysterical. It is easy to be irritated when you are hungry or thirsty (refer to tip #3), but be aware of other people and their spaces. If you have lost a personal item (e.g. wallet, cellphone), immediately approach one of the book fair staff. They are usually wearing those aprons with the Big Bad Wolf print. Breathe in, breathe out. Additionally, expect that the book fair personnel are under intense stress the entire time that some of them couldn’t properly respond to your queries. In fact, most of them are only knowledgeable or aware of the genres and where they are located in the venue, not the specific title or author of a book. So it is pointless getting furious when you do not get the answer you want to hear.
6. Check out everything.
You might only like romance novels or you only read self-help books, but being in a book fair is not the time to be a snob. Widen your horizon, open up your interests, and check out every genre in the book fair (when you are done with tip #2). Believe me, the best books are usually those you do not expect to find and read. You don’t want to miss on that life-changing read, do you?
7. Be a responsible shopper.
Don’t be rude and make other book-lover’s experience a living hell by leaving an item anywhere other than its designated table. This is also helpful to the hardworking staff of the book fair. If you decide not to buy the book you previously put into your basket or cart, please return this book to its proper table. Above all, never ever cut a line or insert yourself in a queue to the cashier. Be mindful and respect other shoppers’ time and effort.
8. Be helpful.
If you find books on the floor, pick them up and return them to the table. And if you chance upon a person who is looking for a particular book that you’ve just recently seen, give that person a tap, a smile, and tell him or her where it is located. There is no harm in helping out a fellow book-lover.
9. Bring extra cash.
Electronic payment is trendy. Credit cards and debit cards provide quick transactions. But sometimes there is Murphy’s Law. Something could go wrong anytime, anywhere. Payment system is broken, perhaps, or you realize you left your cards in the car or at home. So it is best that you bring with you some cash on top of your credit card or debit card. Besides, this cash might come in handy when you go beyond your budget.
10. Bring your own bags.
It is heartwarming to see book-lovers on Preview Day telling cashiers/packers to skip the plastic bags since they are bringing their own eco bags or canvas tote bags for their purchases. Some big-time shoppers even brought with them travel luggage bags to easily wheel their books out of the venue. Although, for some people, it looks “cool” to be seen bringing books in plastic bags with the Big Bad Wolf print plastered on them, it must be noted that all cities across the country have a problem with extreme plastic waste pollution. Land-fills continue to expand as garbage continues to threaten all forms of life on this planet. Let’s not contribute to the problem.
11. Visit more than once.
The venue is huge. Even if you have spent several hours browsing through all the sections in the book fair, there is still that huge probability that you have missed a book over the other. Since the sale runs from July 13 to July 23, and is available to the public for 24 hours each day, it is highly recommended that you return to the book fair and check out the items one more time. Besides, a big bad wolf has told me that more books will be unboxed in the coming days. New titles are definitely on the horizon.
12. Bask in the glow of your purchase.
Be happy with what you have bought. You deserve this. Avoid buyer’s remorse. Ignore people who make snide remarks and tell you that there’s no way you can read all the books you’ve bought. Anything for the joy of reading and knowledge is never a bad thing. Or simply put, anything for what makes you happy is always a good thing. That’s what matters. I bought 27 books, and there are no regrets here. Enjoy your books.
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