Books I'm slavering over

I popped into Bookpeople the other evening innocently enough... just to browse, mind you.... but now I'm all fixated on these awesome new books I saw. The last thing we need is more books... there's already a stack next to the packed bookshelf, kind of a teetering overflow stack.... but maybe it's time to trade some out. Jack's birthday is coming up in only two short months... I just love having a reading boy so much, with whom to share my book loves old and new, it can be quite hard to control myself. Anyway:

I really like this new edition of Pippi. Of course we have read Pippi... and watched those wonderful movies (best. Pippi. EVER!) but it's been awhile, and Pippi's just so great. Luckily I found this at the library the very next day. I pounced. I grew up with D'Aulaire's book of Greek Myths. I loved it, and looked at it all the time. Last time I was home visiting my folks I grabbed it. Jack loves it. He's definitely got a Greek Myth fetish. Yes Rick Riordan, but also constellations and Jim Henson's The Storyteller-- Greek Myths (watch it free on Netflix!). But anyway, D'Aulaire's NORSE myths?!?!?!? I did not know this existed! Want want want! Simply must have!

It's true I consider Mary Pope Osborne a big yawn, but Jack's been reading her little series about The Odyssey and it's really much better written than the Magic (-ally makes wants me to jump out of a ) Treehouse (rather than continue listening) series. And I love those wood engraving illustrations, and I love American tall tales. So there.

This is another definitely-must-get. We cannot live without this in our house. We have this big stack of Garfields, Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, Tin Tins, and Little Nemo in Slumberland that get paged through constantly by literate and illiterate little folk in our house. Not to knock Garfield.... lord knows I have spent the better part of my youth snickering over his lasagna-fueled antics... but I have no doubt that this is infinitely more interesting and I can't wait to read it. J'adore Art and Francoise!