Big Bad Wolf book fair returns to the UAE on Thursday bringing its large-scale book sale back to Dubai Studio City.
Running until March 8 at the Sound Stages, the event features over one million titles spanning fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, cookbooks and educational material. Prices start from Dh2, with some books discounted by up to 95 per cent.
Founded in Kuala Lumpur in 2009, Big Bad Wolf has grown into a touring book sale held in cities across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The format centres on high-volume retail, with books displayed across sprawling warehouse-style halls and grouped by genre.
The fair first came to the UAE in 2018, when more than three million books were brought to Dubai over an 11-day run. A second fair followed in 2019 before a two-year pause during the Covid-19 pandemic. The event returned in 2022 with about one million titles and has been held regularly since, including an expansion to Sharjah in 2023.
Outside the UAE, the Big Bad Wolf sale has also been staged in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, extending its footprint across the Gulf.
Organisers say the latest UAE stop includes an expanded selection of Arabic-language titles alongside English-language bestsellers and children’s series.
Unlike programme-led book fairs such as Sharjah International Book Fair or Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, Big Bad Wolf focuses solely on book sales. There are no author talks or panel discussions, with the emphasis on discounted retail and the opportunity for readers to find new and familiar titles at subsidised rates.
Big Bad Wolf Dubai runs from 10am to 2pm until March 8 at Dubai Studio City; entry is free
