BOULDER, Colo. — A children's vocabulary book written four decades ago has become an overnight Amazon best seller, thanks to a viral TikTok video — and its Boulder author can barely keep up with her phone.
Elissa Guralnick co-wrote "Weighty Words," a children's book designed to teach kids big words through amusing stories. The book had sold some copies over the years, but never made much of an impact financially.
"We really never made a dime," Guralnick said.
That changed a couple of weeks ago when author Eli McCann posted a TikTok video recalling the book from his 8th grade days.
"The response was hilarious and miraculous. The book overnight became a best seller on Amazon. I'm telling you — overnight," Guralnick said.
The book uses clever wordplay to make vocabulary stick. In one example, the word "scintillate" is taught through the story of a firefly named Gloriana.
"Gloriana can't stand not flying around lighting up — she goes out and SINS by flying. The other fireflies sit on branches and watch Gloriana SIN TILL LATE," Guralnick said.
The publisher has already sent the book off for reprinting.
"They've sent it off to be reprinted, they're very excited. It's a strike of lightning," Guralnick said.
It only took 40 years for that lightning to strike. Guralnick wrote the book in 1985 while working at the University of Colorado.
Co-author Doug Berger, who helped create the book, passed away two years ago and did not live to see its sudden success. But the third co-author, Paul Levitt, is still here — and he and Guralnick still see each other every week.
"The number of sales today make me believe in magic," Levitt said.
"What pleases me most is to see how much joy it's brought to my children," Levitt said.
For Guralnick, the sales are exciting, but the real reward is something else entirely.
"My kids are delighted, Paul's kids are delighted. In a way the whole family is getting in on this. Kind of thrilling getting response from relatives," Guralnick said.
Forty years later, the book became a best seller. It just took a minute.
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