Big Bad Wolf 2019 : BOOK HAUL + SHOPPING TIPS

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The Big Bad Wolf is the most awaited book sale for homeschooling moms.  Everyone gets excited as soon as it is announced.  Who wouldn’t be?  Books are ridiculously priced.  It can be overwhelming though.  Last year, I spent hours wandering around like a headless chicken and overspent our homeschool curriculum budget.  Praise God, this year, I did not go down the same rabbit hole again.  So I thought I’d share with you a few shopping tips to beat the sale overwhelm and our Big Bad Wolf book haul.

 

3 QUICK TIPS TO SURVIVE THE BIG BAD WOLF SALE

Make a list.  A few days before we went, I checked our current book collection and made a list of books we needed.  With a little bit of  Marie Kondo-style purging, I knew exactly what I was looking for – classic literature and story picture books!  Thankfully, our homeschool provider, Bridgeway Academy, already had a list of recommended books.

If you are not sure what to get, Charlotte Mason’s list of children-approved books is a great way to start.

Stick to your budget.  Aah, of course, we all have a budget!  It’s sticking to it that becomes a challenge.  Especially, when everything you see is irresistibly shining, shimmering and splendid.

What did I do?  I gave myself a threshold – a maximum of 10 books only.  Each book should be no more than AED 30.

What if I found something that’s way below my budget?  It wouldn’t hurt to get another book, right?  Well, it might not.  But you see, that’s a tricky trap we don’t want to tread on.  Trust me.  Just walk away from temptation. Hahaha.

And that leads me to my next tip.

Quality over quantity.  One can easily get carried away when books are priced remarkably low.  That happened to me last year.  So, even if I still have a few dirhams to spare, I avoided picking up books from table to table.  Instead, I took extra effort to leaf through the pages of the samples, making sure that the books are well-written, beautifully illustrated and tastefully presented.

And now, for the much-awaited reveal. Here is our Big Bad Wolf 2019 Haul!

 

CHILDREN’S CLASSIC LITERATURE

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The children’s selection was bigger and better this year!  They had tons of workbooks, literature, general references, story and picture books.  I even spotted a few books that were not in last year’s sale.

These are the books that I will be using for Keefer’s book reports.  He is nearly done with Chronicles of Narnia.  So, we are on a hunt for more books this year.  I am so happy that we were able to score a few at the sale.

Adventures of Tom Sawyer  & The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Adventures of Tom Sawyer & its sequel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are Mark Twain’s most popular novels.  Both books revolve around the exciting and intriguing adventures of young boys.  As the story progress, these boys had to make difficult choices in their lives. Through their story, it is my prayer that Keefer will learn to discern his own choices in life as he matures into adulthood.

PRICE: AED 18 each

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Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe is a novel inspired by a real-life castaway – Alexander Selkirk whose story of survival and spiritual awakening inspired many.  The book is full of adventures any boy would love: pirates, shipwrecks, and so much more.

Robinson Crusoe’s story is somewhat similar to the story of the prodigal son who left the comfort of his home only to find himself in the middle of a tragedy.

PRICE: AED 14

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The Jungle Book

Whether in the form of a book or movie, The Jungle Book, has an inspiring and thought-provoking story.  Mowgli’s life reminds me of our own walk as a follower of Christ.  We live our lives in the jungle, but we should always remember where our true home lies.

PRICE: AED 18

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Treasure Island & Other Adventures

Then came the Treasure Island & Other Adventures which I almost missed because it was hidden under a stack of books.  The bright orange cover was hard for me to ignore.  So, I pulled it out of the towering display. Imagine my joy when I saw how beautiful this book was.

Hardcover. Bright pages. Big text.

This is more than just a book.  It is an ArtFolds book that transforms into a paper sculpture by folding the pages as you read it.  Kids (and adults) will surely find this fun as they enjoy reading Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

PRICE: AED 27

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Around the World in 80 Days

By now, you would have already noticed that our stash is full of adventure books (haha).  Around the World in 80 Days captures the adventure of Phileas Fogg, a stiff-upper-lipped Englishman who in his voyage discovered friendship.

This book is recommended for kids 12 years old and above.

PRICE: AED 18

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STORY PICTURE BOOKS

There are so many beautiful storybooks at the sale but I wasn’t planning to buy a lot.  We picked up only a few to add to our preschool read-aloud books.

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Little Bear’s Big Adventure

The Little Bear’s Big Adventure was my first find of the day.  It is a heartwarming story of a mother bear and cub’s bond.  Seth couldn’t wait to read it.  So he asked me to read it to him on our way back home.

It is a great bargain for a hardcover book.

PRICE: AED 18

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Rabbitwood

Rabbitwood is a story of an extraordinary friendship between a rabbit and a fox.

This is unquestionably my personal favorite.  High-quality print with plenty of whitespaces.  Impeccable and delicate illustration.  Delightfully written.

Oh, and look at the ribbon covered spine.  It’s those tiny details that fascinate me.

PRICE: AED 21

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

I stumbled upon a few classics too!  This adaptation of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer promises a 10-minute read of Mark Twain’s classic.  I doubt we’ll stop at 10 minutes as the stories are engaging.

I’m not as keen with the illustrations though but Seth loves the quirky hand-drawn pictures.   So, this is definitely a keeper.

PRICE: AED 27

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The Little Prince

The Little Prince is another classic.  This one is geared more towards older kids.  I bought it anyway as I appreciate the timeless life lessons in this book.  There’s a lot of opportunities to discuss compassion, endurance in faith, meaningful relationships, and discernment on what is truly valuable in life.

Excited to read this to my boys.

PRICE: AED 18

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I hope you enjoyed our Big Bad Wolf book haul and shopping tips.

If you missed the Big Bad Wolf 2019, you can find some of these books from Book Depository (free delivery worldwide) or Christianbook.

Let me know what you got from Big Bad Wolf.  Share them in the comments below!

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Blessings,

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