The Big Bad Wolf comes to town

The Malaysian book fair will feature books at 50-90 per cent discount throughout its 11-day sale

KARACHI: The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale - referred to as the world's biggest book sale - has launched in Karachi for the first time following its success in Lahore. The exhibition opened on Friday and is scheduled to close on August 5, 2019. The sale is known for its unique feature of being open 24 hours non-stop and is taking place at the Expo Centre. It features over one million books written in the English language, including all genres, at 50 to 90 per cent discounted rates. The event is open to the public with no entry charge.

The book fair was inaugurated on Friday by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Malaysian Consul-General Khairul Nazran Abd Rahman and event organiser, Awais Akhtar Butt. Representatives from the local partners of the Big Bad Wolf Sale such as the Punjab Group of Colleges, Muhammad Ali Jinnah University and Allied Schools, Centre for Executive Learning Development and Diversity, among others, were also present on the occasion.

The book fair has been held in various countries in the past but this is its first stint in Karachi. "The sale brings greater accessibility and affordable books to people and we are really happy to bring it to Karachi," said Butt. "Reading contributes to the growth of the mind. Books fuel our imagination and compel us to become better thinkers," he added.

The sale features books from a range of topics, including art, architecture, history, science, poetry and fantasy, as well as children's books. The organisers claim that all genres would be available at the event. For children in particular, they have 'Magical Books' — books with augmented reality which enables the story to come to life so as to engage children. Around 12 titles of 'magical books' are available at the fair featuring fairytales, children's stories and two educational editions, namely, Let's Learn Counting and Let's Learn Alphabet.

"The city has produced some of the most brilliant minds of the country and we hope to further this by making affordable reading more accessible," said Butt, while claiming that Karachiites would find over one million books at the event.

Besides, through Red Readerhood, an initiative designed to donate brand new books to those in need, the organisers have pledged 500 books to the Rotary Pakistan Literacy Mission. Visitors at the book fair who wish to donate to the cause can purchase books at the Red Readerhood Corner set-up at the book fair and contribute to the effort.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2019.