- From personal struggle to purpose: Andrew Yap’s journey from a dyslexic child in Kuala Lumpur to a global literacy advocate underscores how personal adversity shaped his lifelong mission and his belief that access to books can change lives.
- Democratising books through disruptive innovation: Through BookXcess and the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale, Yap redefined the bookselling model by making books affordable at scale by working directly with publishers and prioritising low margins.
- A global literacy movement with a Billion-Book Vision: Beyond business success, Yap’s ambition to sell one billion books annually within a decade reflects a broader humanitarian goal—using literacy as a tool for empowerment, social mobility, and long-term change.
By Sebastian Lim
ANDREW YAP did not grow up surrounded by books. His story begins not in the boardrooms of publishing or the glittering halls of literary festivals, but in the quiet struggles of a young boy who could barely read. In fact, as a dyslexic child from a not well-to-do family in Kuala Lumpur, reading was once his greatest struggle. Yet, from that unlikely starting point, Yap would go on to ignite one of the most significant literacy movements the world has ever seen.
As the co-founder of BookXcess and the visionary behind the global Big Bad Wolf Book Sale, he has turned personal hardship into a powerful mission: to make books affordable, accessible, and irresistible—especially for children. His dream is audacious yet deeply human — to sell one billion books annually over the next 10 years and, in doing so, inspire a generation of readers who might otherwise never discover the transformative power of stories and the magic of books.
From dyslexia to discovery
His early years were marked by hardship and self-doubt. Studying at St John’s Institution in Kuala Lumpur, he noticed a gap between himself and his peers. Many of his classmates, from well-off families, were articulate, confident, and well-read, while he, struggling with dyslexia, often found reading an uphill battle. “That’s when I realised that books can make a difference,” he said. “If children have access to books from a young age, they can develop not just knowledge, but confidence, imagination, and a voice of their own.”
It was this realisation that planted the first seed of what would later grow into one of the most remarkable literacy movements in Asia. Yap’s conviction that reading should be accessible to all — regardless of background or income — would eventually define both his business philosophy and his life purpose.
A leap into bookselling
The opportunity came when Yap was offered a chance to sell books. For many, it might have been a small business idea; for Yap, it was destiny calling. He saw a way to make books affordable for the masses — to bridge the same gap he once experienced as a child. Alongside his Singaporean wife, Jacqueline Ng, Yap launched BookXcess in 2006, a bookstore built on a simple but radical principle: everyone should be able to own a book without breaking the bank.
To achieve this, Yap went straight to the source—negotiating directly with publishers to purchase overprinted or remaindered books at a fraction of the usual cost. The savings were then passed on to readers. It was an unconventional model in an industry dominated by high margins, but Yap saw it as the only ethical way forward. “We sell books at low margin profits,” he explained, “because our goal isn’t to get rich—it’s to make books reachable for as many people as possible. That was why we priced the books below RM10 and sold them at RM8.”
The response was overwhelming. Malaysians, long starved of affordable books, flocked to BookXcess stores. But Yap’s vision did not stop there.
Big Bad Wolf is born
In 2009, Yap and Ng launched what would become their most iconic venture: The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale — a 24-hour mega book fair offering millions of discounted titles, sometimes up to 90% off retail prices. What began as a local experiment exploded into an international phenomenon.
“Coming up with a name and a character children can relate to is very important. We have to start them young,” said Yap.
The Wolf soon expanded beyond Malaysian borders, holding sales across Asia, including Jakarta, Indonesia, and Bangkok, Thailand, as well as the Middle East and Africa. It has since become a global phenomenon. The sale is known for selling a wide variety of books at heavily discounted prices.
Their core mission is to make books affordable and accessible to everyone, encouraging reading and improving literacy among children.
“The idea was never just to sell books,” Yap said. “It was to create an experience — to make people excited about reading again.” The sales attracted families, students, teachers, and casual browsers alike. For many, it was their first time buying an English book. For Yap, it was a mission fulfilled: to democratise access to knowledge.
A mission inspired by Mandela
Among Yap’s greatest inspirations is Nelson Mandela, whose words have guided his purpose: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
“So, if you want to change the people, you need to educate them first. And to educate, you need to get them to read and write,” Yap concurred. He took this message to heart, extending his reach to countries where literacy rates were low and books were luxuries, not necessities.
When Big Bad Wolf ventured into Africa, Yap saw firsthand how books could spark transformation. “You could see the light in the eyes of children who opened a book for the first time,” he recalled. “That’s the joy of my life — to give children the opportunity I didn’t have.”
Books vs screens, battle for young minds
In an age dominated by smartphones and tablets, Yap faces a different kind of challenge. “Parents must realise that children need to read from books instead of from screens,” he cautioned. While digital devices offer convenience, he believes they come with distractions that make deep reading difficult. “Once kids discover the joy of reading from books,” he said, “they’ll start buying and reading them on their own — especially from their favourite authors.”
His message is simple but urgent: to nurture readers, parents and educators must reintroduce the tactile pleasure and focus that only print books can offer. It’s a call to preserve reading as a mindful act in a distracted age.
Resilience through adversity
Like many entrepreneurs, Yap’s journey has been tested by crises. The COVID-19 pandemic nearly shut down his operations as lockdowns halted sales and disrupted global supply chains. Just as things began to recover, disaster struck again — floods destroyed large quantities of books in his warehouses. For most, such setbacks would have been devastating. For Yap, they were reminders of why he started in the first place.
“It’s more blessed to give than to receive,” he reflected, quoting one of his favourite lines. “When I see a child with a book, it reminds me that all the hardship was worth it.”
Through grit and determination, Yap rebuilt his business, leaning on his team’s dedication and the unwavering loyalty of readers. He emerged from the pandemic not just intact, but reinvigorated — with a renewed sense of urgency toward his billion-book goal.
A billion-book vision
To date, Andrew Yap has sold over 100 million books — an extraordinary feat by any standard. But for him, it’s merely a milestone on a much longer road. His dream now is to sell one billion books worldwide annually within the next 10 years, a goal that fuses ambition with altruism. “Every book sold means another mind opened,” he said. “If we can reach a billion books, we’re reaching a billion opportunities for change.”
This mission transcends commerce. For Yap, each book represents a chance to empower someone — a student, a mother, a dreamer — who might otherwise have been left behind. It’s a movement rooted in the belief that literacy is not a privilege, but a right.
Creative designs for BookXcess stores
Yap explains that each new BookXcess store he opens will feature the signature theme and creative displays of books and other artefacts, such as posters and paintings, as well as prominently displayed objets d’art. Each bookstore is unique, offering readers and shoppers a distinct browsing experience. Altogether, there are 22 bookstores across Malaysia and Singapore. Read here on The Library by BookXcess which has opened at Sunway Square Mall; it’s the largest 24-hour bookstore in Southeast Asia.
Legacy of hope
What drives Andrew Yap today isn’t the number of stores or the profit margins, but the impact he leaves behind. From a dyslexic boy struggling to read to a global literacy advocate determined to uplift others, his life has come full circle.
“I may not have had books growing up,” he said, “but I can help make sure others do.” In that simple statement lies the heart of his legacy — one defined not by wealth or fame, but by the countless lives touched through the power of reading.
As BookXcess and Big Bad Wolf continue to expand, Yap’s dream in the coming years is to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Even his mission to sell a billion books doesn’t seem far-fetched either. It’s a vision powered by compassion, resilience, and an unshakeable belief in the transformative magic of stories.
After all, as Yap’s own journey proves, sometimes all it takes is one book to change a life — or a billion books to change the world.
