Amy Krouse Rosenthal had a gift for turning the everyday into something extraordinary. Born in 1965 in Chicago, Illinois, and a graduate of Tufts University, she spent almost a decade as an ad copywriter before having children inspired her to become a writer — and a prolific one at that. Rosenthal penned more than 30 books that connected with audiences of all ages. Her witty and heartfelt children’s books, including I Wish You More and Duck! Rabbit! — the latter of which was read at the 2010 White House Easter Egg Roll — captured life’s quirks and quiet joys with a disarming charm, while her memoirs, including Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, radiated playfulness and joy.

Rosenthal’s creativity was not limited to the page. She made whimsical short films, sparked public art projects, and fostered connections, as seen in her “Beckoning of Lovely” series, a multimedia event celebrating life’s beautiful and joyful moments. In March 2017, Rosenthal was in the final days of a battle with ovarian cancer when The New York Times ran her “Modern Love” essay “You May Want to Marry My Husband.” Framed as a dating profile for her husband, Jason Rosenthal, it was a moving tribute to their life together that also asked readers to imagine a future for him after she was gone. Ten days after the essay was published and became a heartwrenching viral sensation, Rosenthal died in her hometown of Chicago at age 51.