The Wit and Whimsy of Mary Engelbreit

by Herschell Gordon Lewis

Bijkerk channels that same nostalgic warmth and celebration of life's small rituals that Engelbreit captures so beautifully, but through the lens of Scandinavian hygge philosophy. Her watercolor illustrations and reflective essays on creating comfort in everyday spaces feel like a natural companion to Engelbreit's worldview—both artists believe that how we live matters just as much as what we accomplish.

by Shannon Schrein

This is my surprise pick for you—it's a nature essay collection rather than a design book, but Kimmerer writes with the same reverence for everyday beauty and interconnectedness that Engelbreit expresses through her art. Where Engelbreit finds joy in domestic details, Kimmerer finds it in botanical relationships, and both authors fundamentally believe that paying attention to the world around us transforms how we live.

by Catherine Goldhammer

Klune writes with a playful irreverence and found-family warmth that mirrors Engelbreit's tone perfectly—his characters are quirky and endearing, his settings are richly detailed and whimsical, and there's an underlying current of 'life is precious and worth celebrating' running through every page. It's contemporary fantasy, but it reads like a love letter to kindness and belonging, much like Engelbreit's art.

by Dave Marsh

Published in 2014, this novel-in-verse captures that same celebration of life's meaningful moments—family dinners, sibling relationships, small victories—but through a completely different medium. Alexander's rhythmic, accessible poetry and his focus on what truly matters in life (love, connection, presence) align beautifully with Engelbreit's philosophy, just filtered through a contemporary African American family's experience.

by Sara Pennypacker

Pennypacker illustrates (through prose) what Engelbreit shows through art: that the smallest, most ordinary relationships—in this case, between a boy and his fox—contain profound meaning and beauty. The book is tender without being saccharine, and it shares Engelbreit's belief that paying close attention to what we love is how we live well. Her spare, elegant writing style creates the same sense of quiet joy.