What do you think?
Rate this book
Dorrie the Little Witch #14
Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters
After Dorrie rescues the Dream Witch from imprisonment by the Dreamyard monsters, pleasant dreams replace the nightmares of the residents of Witchville.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1977
1 person is currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Coombs
42 books66 followersPatricia Coombs was born on July 23, 1926 in Los Angeles, California and during her school age years lived in Hawaii, Boston, New York, and San Francisco. She was always reading books and would hide in unusual places to avoid getting caught reading instead of playing. She attended DePauw University, Michigan State University, and received her bachelor's and master's degrees in English from the University of Washington. She also studied poetry at New York University.
In 1962, Coombs wrote and illustrated Dorrie's Magic, inspired by her two daughters and their Siamese cat named Dingbat. The book was highly praised by the New York Times Book Review, and Coombs went on to create the "Dorrie the Little Witch" series. She wrote 20 stories about Dorrie and her adventures as a little witch over the next 30 years, ending with Dorrie and the Haunted Schoolhouse in 1992.
Coombs has also illustrated for other authors and contributed to Poetry Magazine.
From: Major Authors and Illustrators, pp. 562-564, courtesy of The de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi and Wikipedia.org
In 1962, Coombs wrote and illustrated Dorrie's Magic, inspired by her two daughters and their Siamese cat named Dingbat. The book was highly praised by the New York Times Book Review, and Coombs went on to create the "Dorrie the Little Witch" series. She wrote 20 stories about Dorrie and her adventures as a little witch over the next 30 years, ending with Dorrie and the Haunted Schoolhouse in 1992.
Coombs has also illustrated for other authors and contributed to Poetry Magazine.
From: Major Authors and Illustrators, pp. 562-564, courtesy of The de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi and Wikipedia.org
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 27, 2020
Another wonderful Dorrie adventure! In this story the witches are having bad dreams and a spell is needed. Dorrie helps her mother prepare the spell As always, quick thinking and brave Dorrie saves the day.
This is a fun story and the monsters from the bad dreams are by no means scary or threatening. There are some lovely scenes in this story and I enjoyed the illustrations immensely, I love the detailed rooms, the shelves full of bottles and ingredients. I'm sure this is one I have taken out of the library as a child, the ring of dancing witches felt very familiar.
I love the way these are both great for small children with an attention span for a longer story but also ideal for beginner readers who enjoy having some illustrations. I'm so glad that some of this series has been reprinted. Many thanks to goodreads Abigail for this wonderful book!
This is a fun story and the monsters from the bad dreams are by no means scary or threatening. There are some lovely scenes in this story and I enjoyed the illustrations immensely, I love the detailed rooms, the shelves full of bottles and ingredients. I'm sure this is one I have taken out of the library as a child, the ring of dancing witches felt very familiar.
I love the way these are both great for small children with an attention span for a longer story but also ideal for beginner readers who enjoy having some illustrations. I'm so glad that some of this series has been reprinted. Many thanks to goodreads Abigail for this wonderful book!
March 14, 2020
Perhaps a tiny bit overly simple with regard to how quickly everything (and all potential issues and emerging problems) end up being resolved (and how easily Dorrie also seems to always reach the correct and best conclusions and thereby saving the day so to speak), but yes, Patricia Coombs' Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters has most certainly made me rather broadly smile with reading pleasure (and yes indeed, I do very much enjoy that it is in fact also a series of inadvertent conjuring mistakes as to why Dorrie is in fact able to successfully gentle and deal with the monsters of Dreamland, to save the Dream Witch from her imprisonment and to also end up with a very cute and cuddly monster pet, although I have to wonder what Gink the cat might think of Dorrie's new playmate).
Delightfully penned and not ever either too creepy or too frightening, Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters is (in my humble opinion) an almost totally and utterly perfect and magical reading gem to share with children who might want and desire tales of witches, monsters and magic but who are not as yet quite emotionally and psychologically ready and mature enough to face, say, the much more frightening and at times even horrifying worlds of the Harry Potter series (and of course, Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters would also be a wonderful personal reading experience for recently independent readers, with author/illustrator Patricia Coombs' artwork providing a sweet and descriptively lovely in every way visual accompaniment to her equally magical and imaginative narrative).
Highly recommended is Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters, and indeed, my only complaint is actually that the majority of the Dorrie the Little Witch series of books is not in current print and not all that easily available even used (and yes, often rather majorly expensive if one manages to in fact locate a title). And thus, I really do wish that Egmont UK Limited (which has recently republished Dorrie and the Play, Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters, Dorrie and the Blue Witch and Dorrie and the Wizard's Spell) would also consider the same for the remainder of the series.
Delightfully penned and not ever either too creepy or too frightening, Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters is (in my humble opinion) an almost totally and utterly perfect and magical reading gem to share with children who might want and desire tales of witches, monsters and magic but who are not as yet quite emotionally and psychologically ready and mature enough to face, say, the much more frightening and at times even horrifying worlds of the Harry Potter series (and of course, Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters would also be a wonderful personal reading experience for recently independent readers, with author/illustrator Patricia Coombs' artwork providing a sweet and descriptively lovely in every way visual accompaniment to her equally magical and imaginative narrative).
Highly recommended is Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters, and indeed, my only complaint is actually that the majority of the Dorrie the Little Witch series of books is not in current print and not all that easily available even used (and yes, often rather majorly expensive if one manages to in fact locate a title). And thus, I really do wish that Egmont UK Limited (which has recently republished Dorrie and the Play, Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters, Dorrie and the Blue Witch and Dorrie and the Wizard's Spell) would also consider the same for the remainder of the series.
December 30, 2019
Unlike my previous read in this series, Dorrie and the Play, this story includes magic in no uncertain terms, but there is still plenty of mundane domestic activity. It has quite a bit more text, and the story is more involved. It's more conventional in terms of witch stories, which likely will endear it to those who are already interested in such things.
June 30, 2019
It's another fabulously fun adventure with Dorrie - the little witch whose stockings were always mismatched, whose hat was always on crooked, and whose penchant for getting into (and out of) scrapes never diminished - in this fourteenth book of Patricia Coombs' twenty-book series! When all the residents of Witchville are stricken with a seemingly unending series of terrible nightmares, they suspect that the Dream Witch may have run out of the potion she uses to control her Dreamyard Monsters. The Big Witch sets out to conjure up the Dream Witch, but leaves the necessary potion behind (does anyone else wonder what the Big Witch can be thinking, at times...?), leading Dorrie to set out in pursuit. When Dorrie finds herself accidentally transported to the Dreamyard, and confronting its monsters, her use of her mother's potion has some very unexpected results...
I know it's getting redundant, at this point, but Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters was another title in this series - like Dorrie and the Blue Witch , or Dorrie and the Amazing Magic Elixir - that I checked out again and again from the library, as a young girl. This one was particularly creepy, at least in the scenes where Dorrie is pursued by the monsters, and particularly heart-warming and amusing, when Dorrie "conquers" the monsters. I simply love that contrast, and Dorrie's droll expression, when being hugged by all those monsters! All in all, "just" another five-star Dorrie book! I know, I know - is there any other kind?
I know it's getting redundant, at this point, but Dorrie and the Dreamyard Monsters was another title in this series - like Dorrie and the Blue Witch , or Dorrie and the Amazing Magic Elixir - that I checked out again and again from the library, as a young girl. This one was particularly creepy, at least in the scenes where Dorrie is pursued by the monsters, and particularly heart-warming and amusing, when Dorrie "conquers" the monsters. I simply love that contrast, and Dorrie's droll expression, when being hugged by all those monsters! All in all, "just" another five-star Dorrie book! I know, I know - is there any other kind?
January 30, 2022
Kinda workmanlike and weird, but comes together with a nice little theme at the end. I really should read some more of this series, esp. the early ones, to get a better grasp of Coombs' 'world' but they stand alone well enough.
3.5 stars rounded up because I am still smiling about one bit near the end.
3.5 stars rounded up because I am still smiling about one bit near the end.
October 20, 2019
Dorrie helps the Big Witch get rid of the nightmare monsters. Cute story!
October 26, 2021
Cute, as always. I like that Big Witch was nice to Dorrie in this one instead of dismissing her. Funny that it’s accidentally a love potion that worked on the monsters.
February 3, 2014
Love this series for young readers. The illustrations are beautiful and the characters are adorable.
January 6, 2022
I wish we could rate it higher because this is a level of fantasy an order of magnitude higher than the previous books.
Dorrie is wearing Big Witch's conjuring cloak because Big Witch put on the wrong one for a conjuring, and potion making she was elected to lead.
The Dream Witch, who is in charge of the Dreamyard, needs the potion to keep dreams from becoming nightmares. When the conjuration begins, Dorrie is taken to the Dreamyard instead of the Dream Witch to Witches' Meadow. She immediately encounters the nightmares. Thinking quickly, she threw the potion over them, and they instantly transmute into calm, and obedient creatures.
Later, it is discovered that the potion was improperly mixed. Bug Witch made a love potion instead.
When correcting their mistake to send the correct potion to the Dreamyard, the smallest monster didn't close his eyes for the ritual and is stuck with Dorrie. He's friendly. He is introduced to everyone. He now sleeps in her closet.
Dorrie is wearing Big Witch's conjuring cloak because Big Witch put on the wrong one for a conjuring, and potion making she was elected to lead.
The Dream Witch, who is in charge of the Dreamyard, needs the potion to keep dreams from becoming nightmares. When the conjuration begins, Dorrie is taken to the Dreamyard instead of the Dream Witch to Witches' Meadow. She immediately encounters the nightmares. Thinking quickly, she threw the potion over them, and they instantly transmute into calm, and obedient creatures.
Later, it is discovered that the potion was improperly mixed. Bug Witch made a love potion instead.
When correcting their mistake to send the correct potion to the Dreamyard, the smallest monster didn't close his eyes for the ritual and is stuck with Dorrie. He's friendly. He is introduced to everyone. He now sleeps in her closet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2017
Least favourite aspect/element of the book:
As someone who believes in the crucial role of children's books in educating and raising critical, creative, smart and open-minded human beings I was deeply disappointed by this one. It doesn't help in developing neither of the qualities I mentioned: it wasn't original in any way and in my opinion crassly underestimates children's ability to reflect. There was no moment in which the book challenged the reader to think beyond what was happening in the story and since that one was pretty boring, I find this inexcusable.
Favourite aspect/element of the book:
I do appreciated the illustrations, which made me buy this book and are the only reason why I will keep it...
Recommended for people who:
...want to experience a bad example of children's literature.
...are interested in illustration techniques.
As someone who believes in the crucial role of children's books in educating and raising critical, creative, smart and open-minded human beings I was deeply disappointed by this one. It doesn't help in developing neither of the qualities I mentioned: it wasn't original in any way and in my opinion crassly underestimates children's ability to reflect. There was no moment in which the book challenged the reader to think beyond what was happening in the story and since that one was pretty boring, I find this inexcusable.
Favourite aspect/element of the book:
I do appreciated the illustrations, which made me buy this book and are the only reason why I will keep it...
Recommended for people who:
...want to experience a bad example of children's literature.
...are interested in illustration techniques.
July 18, 2024
When the Big Witch mixes up a conjuring potion with a love potion, Dorrie is conjured into the dreamyard where all the monsters fall in love with her, follow her around, and do her bidding. The dreamy black and white illustrations feature accents of pink and lavender.
October 29, 2017
I like it because I like witch stories and its a really nice book because the monsters make friends with her.
November 20, 2018
One of the better stories in the series. Predictable but still it was fun.
August 17, 2020
The story was good. The drawings were better.
Read
December 22, 2013This doesn't look like the edition I have--the background coloration on the cover is different on the one I have.
I haven't read this. I gather it's intended as a book for very young children, but it's not a picture book, although it has a lot of pictures. Pretty good pictures, but I can't find a credit for the illustrator. Maybe the author is also the illustrator?
I gather that the 'dreamyard monsters' are sending all the witches nightmares, though it's not clear why. Maybe it's explained in the story.
No, there's no explanation. And despite the good pictures, this is a problem. The 'monsters' are depersonalized to the point that it seems there's no individuality at all--as if they had no quarrels and no real lives. They are hostile as a group, or docile as a group, and even the littlest is not seen as a person.
This is evident in the drawings, as well. Although the 'witches and wizards' (apparently female and male, respectively--what, not even ONE exception?) are represented in the drawings as individual and distinct, the monsters are distinguishable only by differences in color and size.
The basic premise of mixups in spells and recipes is fairly familiar, but details make it quite charming, despite the problems.
I haven't read this. I gather it's intended as a book for very young children, but it's not a picture book, although it has a lot of pictures. Pretty good pictures, but I can't find a credit for the illustrator. Maybe the author is also the illustrator?
I gather that the 'dreamyard monsters' are sending all the witches nightmares, though it's not clear why. Maybe it's explained in the story.
No, there's no explanation. And despite the good pictures, this is a problem. The 'monsters' are depersonalized to the point that it seems there's no individuality at all--as if they had no quarrels and no real lives. They are hostile as a group, or docile as a group, and even the littlest is not seen as a person.
This is evident in the drawings, as well. Although the 'witches and wizards' (apparently female and male, respectively--what, not even ONE exception?) are represented in the drawings as individual and distinct, the monsters are distinguishable only by differences in color and size.
The basic premise of mixups in spells and recipes is fairly familiar, but details make it quite charming, despite the problems.
January 2, 2018
10/15/2016:
Got this again for my 5-year, judged that she was old enough and had enough attention span, and she really enjoyed it. I'm going to try the rest of the series if I can get my hands on them.
04/10/2013:
It's really hard for me to rate this objectively, as it was one of my absolute favorites as a child. I'm not sure if my library didn't have any other Dorrie books, or if this was the only one I liked. But none of the other's seem familiar, where as I remembered so much about this one! So I would happily rate it 5 stars for the nostalgia alone.
Got this again for my 5-year, judged that she was old enough and had enough attention span, and she really enjoyed it. I'm going to try the rest of the series if I can get my hands on them.
04/10/2013:
It's really hard for me to rate this objectively, as it was one of my absolute favorites as a child. I'm not sure if my library didn't have any other Dorrie books, or if this was the only one I liked. But none of the other's seem familiar, where as I remembered so much about this one! So I would happily rate it 5 stars for the nostalgia alone.
September 27, 2015
Cohen's review: I liked how Dorrie traveled through to the dreamyard and her adventure. I would rather Dorrie be a human than a witch because I would like to see a humans perspective.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews