Annotated Book Dream - Norton Illustrated Editions

So last night, an element of my dream was literally composed of me walking around what seems to have been a Barnes and Noble and in the center of the store near the cash registers where they usually have their bargain books and calendars and such, was instead a large shelf which had several copies of every single Norton Annotated illustrated book (in paperback!  Which is impossible since they are only available in hardcover, to my knowledge…)  I was desperately trying to find Maria Tatar’s Anotated Brother’s Grimm, but for some reason couldn’t find it, but I was still happy being able to look at all the others (which I will picture below, since they are beautiful to look at).  Alas this was only a dream, but I’m trying to slowly collect them, because they are invaluable resources and a wonder to read!

I first came across one of these books in the little “Friends of the Library” bookshop inside our local public library.  Instead of buying it for it’s listed price of around $35, I quickly got hold of this practically brand new book by Maria Tatar on Classic Fairy tales for a mere $7.  From there I discovered that there were many more similar books, edited by the top scholars in children’s literature!  About two years later I found a copy of the Annotated Secret Garden, which I read aloud with my little brother, and it was incredible because it compiled illustrations from all of the wonderful illustrated editions that have been made and had awesome side notes.  Suffice it to say, I really love these books, enough that they randomly pop into my dreams.  I’m looking forward to this coming semester, where I will be “forced” to purchase another, Maria Tatar’s Grimm’s Fairy tales in fact, for a course I’ll be taking on the Grimm brothers;  I guess I’ll have to sacrifice myself.