Yes, I finally got around to getting my very own copy of this entirely charming book. That’s right: Entirely Charming.

It’s a story (or stories) about orphans and their adventures that made me feel all together safe and cosy and warm. I’m talking “peanut butter and honey sandwich” cosy, “wrapped up in a quilt on the couch while a storm rages outside” safe and warm.

I want to go to cryptozoology class with Professor Silas. I want to ride on a bear at a picnic. I want to hang out and do homework with a hedgehog student who’s always hungry. I want to live in a place that has bear-drawn carriages.

When I was a little girl I had several favorite books that were illustrated by Tasha Tudor. The softness of her pencil drawings resonated with the stories and made them more real. Emily’s drawings echo that feeling.

This is a book of perfect innocence.

It’s also a book of eclectic curriculums, unusual people (including an onion headed boy), rabbit shaped pancakes, honey and, oh yes, dearies . . . bears.

It has become apparent that I share more than a few common interests with Emily Martin. Her blog Inside a Black Apple is delightful and I’ve been reading it for rather a long while. She has a terribly good eye for things both vintage and modern that have a certain sensibility; a let’s get comfortable, enjoy a nice cup of tea and talk about lovely fun things sensibility. Well, lovely fun things that are just the teensiest bit off center, perhaps just an itty bit bent. Which likely explains why I keep doing blog posts about her (here and here).

She has a new website just for Oddfellow’s Orphanage which you can read about here. To celebrate, Emily has made a new paper doll and is giving it away free at the Oddfellows website (it’s in the Diversions section). Just like last time; personal use only please.