Manila International Book Fair 2010

Bibliophiles all over Manila must be counting the days till September 15, the day when the annual Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) opens its doors to its over eighty thousand book-loving loyalists.  The MIBF is the longest-running, most prestigious and internationally-recognized book event in the Philippines.  The event boasts of showcasing hundreds and thousand of books, magazines, periodicals, journals and other educational materials and equipment by 150 local and foreign exhibitors. 

Everyone in my family looks forward to the MIBF year after year.   For a very good reason, too, as it has proven to be the best place to buy books – from a title on the best-seller’s list to the hard to find elusive trade book;   there is always something for everyone as we browse for hours and hours.  While C and I are raring to search for the numerous titles in our list, the kids are bowled over by the plentiful freebies that some of the exhibitors are generously handing out – even without purchase!  The MIBF is a wonderful place of discovery for my kids – they have found new book series to collect; new titles to devote their time to for a couple of days; and  hopefully, a life long love for reading, too! 

If you plan to take the family (kids in tow!) with you, here are some of the booths that you might want to prioritize: 

WS Pacific – this is one of the booths that is a sure hit with my kids.  They have a wide selection of  children’s storybooks and activity books, all selection at very affordable prices.  A few years back, this is where I did my Christmas shopping for the children of my friends.

Adarna House – I love Adarna’s children’s books.  I love it that they have bilingual texts that allow for Filipino kids to get more proficient with the Filipino language.  If you get there early, they also sell some books with big discounts, but the selections disappear very fast.

Scholastic – The kids are such great fans of Scholastic.  The titles and collections are great.  One of the favorite books I bought from them is “I Love You Forever”  by Robert Munsch.   The booth has a lot of promos and freebies, too.  I remember J getting some Junie B. Jones scrap booking materials and stickers a few years ago; they were so liberal in giving that she was able to get a big bunch to share with her good friends.

National Book Store –  They have one of the biggest, if not the biggest, booth in the exhibit.   However, the off-site branches are also on sale, so if you are running low on time, you can opt to skip this.

OMF Lit-  This bookstore has a lot of Christian/Spiritual titles.  Some of the wonderful books I bought from OMF that have inspired me are:  Power of a Praying Wife and the Power of a Praying Parent, both titles by Stormie Omartian,  If you want to encourage your kids to get acquainted with the Bible, there are a few Bibles for kids sold here, too.  Last year, they gave away an eco-bag for every purchase, as well as a thick stack of bookmarks.

Put on your most comfortable shoes and bring your largest eco-bag!  Be prepared for an afternoon's worth of book shopping ... I'll see you there!

The 31st Manila International Book Fair is happening on Sept.15-19 at the SMX Convention Center, Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. 

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