Big Bad Wolf Books Returns to Penang This Chinese New Year @ Gurney Paragon Mall
There are certain events in Penang that quietly become part of our yearly rhythm.
Big Bad Wolf Books is one of them.
This Chinese New Year 2026, the world’s biggest book sale returns to Penang for the sixth time, setting up at Level 4, Gurney Paragon Mall from 26 February to 8 March 2026, daily from 10am to 10pm.
And somehow, it feels especially fitting this year.
A Different Kind of Prosperity
Chinese New Year is usually about reunion dinners, ang pow, new clothes, and yes — shopping malls packed with festive music.
But Big Bad Wolf adds something slightly different into the mix: prosperity through knowledge.
While many of us are busy ushering in good fortune for the year ahead, this 11-day book sale reminds us that growth doesn’t just come in red packets. It comes in ideas. In imagination. In stories we didn’t know we needed.
And there’s something meaningful about seeing families browsing books together during the festive season — parents picking up children’s storybooks, teenagers discovering new genres, older readers hunting for biographies and cookbooks.
It becomes more than a sale.
It becomes a shared moment.
Penang’s Sixth Chapter with the Wolf
Penang has consistently shown up for Big Bad Wolf. This will be the sixth time the sale returns to our island, and that says something.
Over the years, the crowds have grown — students with tote bags, young parents with strollers, retirees carefully flipping through titles. The response from Penang readers has clearly made this state a key stop in Big Bad Wolf’s nationwide journey.
For 2026, Penang marks the second stop of their national tour (after Kuantan), reinforcing that this isn’t a one-off roadshow. It’s a sustained effort to bring affordable books into communities across Malaysia.
And Penang, thankfully, remains firmly on that map.
Kicking Off with Lion Dance & Lou Sang
The official launch on 26 February 2026 will be officiated by YB Wong Hon Wai, Penang State Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy.
In true festive spirit, there will be a lion dance performance and a lou sang ceremony — symbolising prosperity, unity, and abundance.
There’s something quite symbolic about tossing lou sang at a book sale.
Instead of just wishing for wealth, perhaps we’re also tossing hopes for curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning into the air.
More Than Just Discounts
Big Bad Wolf Books was founded on a simple belief:
Books should never be a luxury.
In a time when everything seems to be getting more expensive, the idea of making books accessible — to children, students, families — matters even more.
This isn’t just about buying in bulk because prices are low (though many will).
It’s about lowering the barrier to reading.
When books are affordable, reading becomes habit.
When reading becomes habit, learning becomes natural.
And that changes communities in quiet but powerful ways.
A Festive Outing Worth Making
If you’re planning your Chinese New Year outings, this might be one to add to the list.
Instead of just cafe hopping or mall walking, you could spend an afternoon discovering stories together. Let the kids pick something unexpected. Try a genre you wouldn’t normally read. Start the year with a new idea.
Sometimes the best ang pow we can give ourselves is a new book.
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