The Halloween candy hasn’t even all been eaten yet, but one of the hallmarks of the holiday shopping season has arrived: Oprah’s Favorite Things, Oprah Winfrey’s annual list of must-have gifts. And this year, two works for children made the cut: Priceless Facts About Money by Mellody Hobson, illustrated by Caitlin Stevens (Candlewick); and the Our World Collection series of picture books by Sue Lowell Gallion, illustrated by Lisk Feng (Phaidon).
The 2024 list debuted on OprahDaily.com on November 1 and will also appear in a special Oprah Daily holiday print edition, hitting newsstands nationwide on November 12. The latest list marks the 10th consecutive year of an Oprah’s Favorite Things partnership with Amazon, where the items are showcased at Amazon.com/oprah and the Amazon shopping app.
Oprah touted the books in her catalog-like blurbs. Of Priceless Facts, she said: “Financial expert Mellody Hobson wrote this children’s book to encourage financial literacy, but I bet, like me, many adults will learn fun facts about money—such as where the word greenbacks came from.” And in recommending the Our World volumes, each of which opens and folds back into a freestanding globe, Oprah offered: “These three beautifully designed books will introduce kids to life underwater, the galaxies above, and their own world here on earth.”
The books’ creators reacted to the happy holiday news with great cheer. “I’m honored and thrilled that more kids and families will find out about this fun, informative series,” Our World Collection author Gallion said. “Lisk Feng’s amazing art and the skills of the Phaidon creative team made my off-the-wall idea of a globe-shaped book that would make kids more curious about the earth turn into these books!”
Feng added, “I am so excited for this recognition! We worked actively on the project for four years—this is the best gift ever! With Sue’s wonderful writing, and the Phaidon team’s support, I was able to draw the wonderful world with confidence and freedom. It is an exciting experience and journey for me.”
Though they declined to share print numbers, both publishers say they are prepared to meet any increased demand for the books spurred by the Oprah spotlight.
Priceless Facts About Money became an instant bestseller upon release in October and has received major media attention, including Hobson’s appearances on CBS Mornings and NBC’s Today. On the heels of those boosts, the publisher was already anticipating robust holiday sales. And with that forecast in mind, Mary Marotta, Candlewick’s senior VP of sales, marketing, and business development; the sales and marketing teams, and the inventory and production teams all worked closely to follow a significant first printing by scheduling a series of reprints early in the book’s publication process.
Shopping days till Christmas and Hanukkah 2024: 49.
