The story of the company Big Bad Wolf
The large bookselling company Big Bad Wolf was founded in 2009 by the founders of BookXcess, Andrew Yap and Jacqueline Ng, in Malaysia. The goal of this large book-selling company is “changing the world one book at a time” and encouraging all people of every age and everywhere in the world to discover the pleasures of reading. The original idea of large-scale book selling was sparked by Andrew Yap with the founding of a small bookstore in Kuala Lumpur in 2006. But he soon realized that to create large changes, larger actions were needed. Because he did not have the possibility of founding more bookstores, he pursued the idea of large book auctions in different regions of the world.
Since the Big Bad Wolf group began its work, its international editions have been held in Dubai, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan, and it is now being held in the city of Sharjah, UAE. The main factor that has made the Big Bad Wolf bookstore superior and distinct from its other limited counterparts is the high diversity of products offered and very high discounts and, as a result, the affordable price of books. These factors create a suitable opportunity for book lovers so that by buying books at an affordable, more economical price they can obtain the works they like.
Andrew Yap believes that reading is an essential and indispensable activity in life that brings a new world of knowledge and imagination in our effort to increase our literacy across the world and across borders. The effort of Yap and his colleagues is to present a broader, more diverse and more attractive range of books and literary and scientific works in different parts of the world.
Rajesh Menon, chief communications officer of the international bookstore Big Bad Wolf, has also referred to the company's satisfaction with the widespread reception of the fairs held and believes that this reception is growing and increasing. Menon considers the goal of the Big Bad Wolf book auction to be making reading affordable and accessible for everyone: “We do not want readers to be uncomfortable with the price. Instead we want them to take the books home, touch them, feel them, smell them, enjoy their covers and enjoy traditional reading.” The astonishing book discounts of the company big bad wolf, alongside its extensive advertising, are a motivation for book people to become acquainted with new genres and books. Menon believes that the more knowledge we obtain, the better equipped we become to confront the challenges that we face in any case.
The record of holding in-person or virtual international Big Bad Wolf book fairs in various countries of the world is as follows:
- LOTUS'S SUNGAI PETANI SELATAN, KEDAH: Malaysia 2022
- LOTUS'S MUTIARA RINI, JOHOR: Malaysia 2022
- LOTUS'S IPOH GARDEN, PERAK: Malaysia 2022
- HATTEN SQUARE, MELAKA: Malaysia 2022
- KTCC MALL, TERENGGANU: Malaysia 2022
- LOTUS'S SEREMBAN 2, NEGERI SEMBILAN: Malaysia 2022
- LOTUS"S TANJUNG PINANG, PENANG: Malaysia 2022
- LOTUS'S DESA TEBRAU, JOHOR: Malaysia 2022
- LOTUS'S KOTA BHARU, KELANTAN: Malaysia 2022
- ONLINE: Malaysia 2022
- SARIT CENTRE EXPO: Kenya 2022
- DIAMOND JUBILEE HALL, DAS ES SALAAM: Tanzania 2022
- PARAHYANGAN COVENTION, BANDUNG: Indonesia 2022
- TERMINAL B ADISUTJIPTO, YOGYAKARTA: Indonesia 2022
- JX INTERNATIONAL, SURABAYA: Indonesia 2022
- SOUND STAGE, DUBAI STUDIO CITY: United Arab Emirates 2022
- IMPACT FORUM, HALL 4: Thailand 2022
- ONLINE TOKOPEDIA: Indonesia 2022
The sale of books by the company Big Bad Wolf has taken place in 37 cities and 15 countries. Various book genres such as science fiction, thriller, literature, adult, business, cooking, art and design, and children's and young adult books have been offered at the various fairs. The company's followers and visitors at book fairs around the world have reached more than 6 million 500 thousand people. So far more than 31 million books have been sold by the big bad wolf auction.
The UAE publishing industry and the horizon of the creative economy
The activity of the book auction company Big Bad Wolf in the UAE is not limited to the fair currently being held in Sharjah. The distinguished record of the Dubai book fair is also in this company's UAE activities. Holding the Big Bad Wolf book fair in the city of Dubai was followed by visitors' satisfaction. The appropriate and clear categorization of books by book genre was a phenomenon that was welcomed by everyone. For example, nonfiction works were marked with blue, fiction stories with yellow and children's books with red.Ayman Al-Hammadi, head of the libraries affairs section at Dubai Culture, stated that: “We have realized the importance of organizing and hosting book fairs. They are an effective platform for exchanging thoughts and experiences and shaping the future of the cultural and literary sector and the publishing industry. They are the main source of the creative economy ecosystem that Dubai aspires to become the global capital of by 2026.” Al-Hammadi said that the international book auction big bad wolf book opens many windows through which we look at the world of culture and the publishing industry, in many scientific, literary and human disciplines and fields.
Majid Al-Suwaidi, senior vice president of Dubai Studio City and the Tecom Group, has stated that the international book fair held in Dubai was in line with the initiative of the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth. Its goal is to establish reading as a habit among 50 percent of Emirati adults and 80 percent of students. The cooperation of the large bookselling company Big Bad Wolf with the UAE can also be analyzed in this same direction. This company has been committed and assigned to enriching the culture of the UAE in order to expand knowledge and reading.
It was during the coronavirus days that a joint agreement for cultural cooperation was signed between the Sharjah Book Authority and the company Big Bad Wolf. Its goal was organizing the largest discounted book market in the Middle East and North Africa region and in support of the publishing industry and readers' access to a wide range of books. Because of the spread of the coronavirus in 2019 the Sharjah International Virtual Book Fair was held online.
Andrew Yap, founder of the largest book auction Big Bad Wolf, said about the 2019 Sharjah virtual book fair: “Since the launch of this event in Dubai in 2018, Big Bad Wolf has become one of the most prominent book sales events, which because of the spread of the coronavirus in 2019 it was not possible to hold, and now we are happy that once again we have been able with new strategies to get a large number of books at a cheap price into the hands of our audiences.”
Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority in Dubai, also said in this regard: “This virtual version of the discounted book store is a new step aligned with the goals of this authority and its policies in strengthening Sharjah's place on the map of cultural action in the region and at the global level and consolidating the culture of reading in all members of society. We have also sought for this event to have a share in the economic development of Dubai and, on the basis of knowledge, to raise a generation that is able to complete the process of development with abundant achievements.”
The Sharjah Dubai International Book Fair, one of the largest book events in the world, is being held at the Sharjah Exhibition Center. Visiting hours of the fair are from 10 in the morning until midnight, around 12. Entry to this fair is free and diverse book genres are offered at this fair. The interesting part is that at this fair it is also possible to view books by genre, and the best works of each genre can be viewed separately.
At the opening ceremony of the world's largest book fair, Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), Andrew Yap, founder and CEO of Big Bad Wolf, Marwa Al-Aqroubi, executive director of House of Wisdom, Mansour Al-Hasani, director of publisher services of the Sharjah Book Authority, Aman Boushelibi, director of Sharjah public libraries, and Tamer Saeed, director of the Sharjah Literary Agency, and other prominent figures were present.
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi announced about the motivation for launching this large book fair in the UAE: “Strengthening cultural diversity and enriching Arab culture with knowledge and creative works from different cultures is one of the main missions of Sharjah's cultural project and also the mandate of SBA. Our annual program of events is full of international activities that attract content creators and writers from around the world. This arises from our belief that cultural exchange among nations is the most effective way to promote dialogue, understanding and respect for shared human values.”
Hosting the world's largest bookstore Big Bad Wolf in Sharjah, UAE, is part of the central role of the Sharjah Book Authority in supporting initiatives aimed at raising reading standards at the regional and global level. This event helps the progress of publishers, helping the UAE book industry and its revival on a local and global scale.
The area of this book fair in Sharjah is about 4,000 square meters and more than 2 million books are offered at this fair. The books are also updated on a daily basis and new titles are added to the fair.
The sidelines of the largest book fair in the UAE are also noteworthy. A children's play space has provided the opportunity for parents to circulate more easily. Programs have been arranged for visitors to become more familiar with Arab culture and history. From numerous books about Arab culture and art to cooking stations for Arab foods. Diverse events are also held at this cultural event. More than 400 literary events including daily writing workshops, poetry readings and signing celebrations have been planned.
A look at the world's largest book fairs
Frankfurt Book Fair: This fair is held every year for five days in the month of October. About seven thousand exhibitors from one hundred countries take part in this fair. During the coronavirus outbreak this book fair in 2020 was held virtually and in 2021 was held in-person and online. The seventy-third edition of the Frankfurt International Book Fair, with the slogan “Reconnect,” hosted seventy-three thousand publishers from one hundred and five countries and offered more than 300 thousand books.
The 5-day Frankfurt Book Fair in 2023 had more than 215 thousand visitors, of whom 105 thousand were trade visitors and the other 110 thousand were the general public. Four thousand publishers from ninety-five countries were present at this fair. This fair, one of the world's largest book fairs, will be held in 2024 from 16 to 20 October.
Hong Kong Book Fair: The holding of the Hong Kong Book Fair is usually in the month of January each year by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and its first edition goes back to 1990. At the Hong Kong International Book Fair, in addition to offering numerous books, the newest innovative technologies are also offered and visitors can also take part in new cultural and media activities.
London Book Fair: The book fair in London, after the Frankfurt Book Fair, is considered Europe's most important international book fair. More than twenty-five thousand publishers and sellers take part in this fair. This fair was canceled in the first year of the coronavirus outbreak and in the second year was held as a three-day virtual event. After that it was again held in person at London's Olympia hotel from the fifth to the seventh of April. At the London International Book Fair, sessions and seminars such as publishing sustainability, how to publish, literary translation and upcoming trends in the publishing market are formed in order to increase the information and awareness of book people. This fair will be held this year from 12 to 14 March.
Kolkata Book Fair: The world's largest non-commercial book fair is the Kolkata International Book Fair. The first edition of this event was held in 1976 with the presence of thirty-four publishers. This fair in 2021 had about ninety thousand daily visitors, which was six thousand more than the number of daily visitors at the 2020 Kolkata fair.
New Delhi International Book Fair: This fair, after the Kolkata fair, is India's second-oldest fair and the third-largest English-language book fair in the world, which is held annually with more than a thousand booths. At the Delhi Book Fair, in addition to buying books, the opportunity to establish new relations, sign translation contracts and purchase the intellectual property rights of works is also provided.
BookExpo America Book Fair: The world's largest English-language book fair is BookExpo America. This annual American book fair BEA began its work in 1902 with the presence of Mark Twain. BookExpo annually hosts a thousand publishers and more than eighty thousand visitors.
Buenos Aires Book Fair: This fair is the largest book fair among Spanish-speaking countries, which was established in 1975. The Buenos Aires International Book Fair, with a holding period of nearly three weeks, is also one of the longest book fair events in the world.
Cairo Book Fair: This fair was held for the first time in 1975. Egypt's Cairo International Fair is the largest and oldest book fair among Arab countries. The Cairo fair is held every year at the end of January in Egypt's capital.
The largest book fairs in the world in terms of number of books are held, respectively, in the cities of Frankfurt, Leipzig, London, Bologna, Tokyo, Bilbao, Moscow, Barcelona, Bucharest and Beijing.
Tehran International Book Fair: The Tehran Book Fair this year was held in two in-person and virtual sections, with the presence of more than 2,700 domestic and foreign publishers at Imam Khomeini Mosalla. In this edition of the fair 200 booksellers, 100 foreign publishers and 2,700 domestic publishers were present. Total sales of the thirty-fourth Tehran Book Fair have been estimated at more than 401 billion tomans, of which 251 billion and 290 million tomans were in the in-person section and 149 billion and 800 million tomans in the virtual section. The number of copies sold at the Tehran virtual book fair was 1 million 369 thousand 606 and the number of books sold in the in-person section, according to the average price of books sold in the virtual section, was 2 million 297 thousand 529. The in-person section's share of total purchases is 63 percent and the virtual section 37 percent.
Sharjah Book Fair: The UAE Sharjah International Book Fair has not yet become the world's largest book fair in terms of number of visitors. In Asia a figure of two million visitors in India and Iran is predictable. The main rival of the Sharjah fair is the Madrid Book Fair, which has had three million visitors. At Spain's Madrid Book Fair, booksellers, publishers and cultural and government organizations have been present. The seventeen-day book fair in Madrid witnessed the presence of three million people and book purchases amounting to 10.2 million euros.
Conclusion
The targeting and policymaking of the United Arab Emirates toward reaching its outlined horizon in the field of the publishing industry and the UAE book can be regarded as the most important component and factor in holding the world's largest book fair in the city of Sharjah. The book sales company Big Bad Wolf, with the aim of promoting and facilitating reading, has become responsible for holding this fair. This company, with the aim of offering books with high diversity and at an affordable price, has pursued a policy of maximum discount and has also applied up to 80 percent discount on some works.The UAE Sharjah International Book Fair, in addition to creating the opportunity to visit and buy more than 2 million books at an affordable price, has also become one of the sources of tourism of the UAE and can play an important role in the creative economy and cultural industry of the UAE. This fair continues until 7 January 2024 and one must wait for its numerous record-breakings in the field of the publishing industry in the world.
Machine-translated from Persian by Namafar; the Persian original is authoritative. Read the original in Persian