Dorrie's Book

by Marilyn Sachs

An only child relates the trials and tribulations she experiences when her mother has triplets.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Susann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only child Dorrie lives an idyllic San Francisco life with her groovy 1970s parents until her mother gets pregnant...with triplets! Smart, funny and realistic. Dorrie is unabashedly resentful of her siblings, but she doesn't come across as spoiled.
My (older) sister Sarah loved this book, but I'm not sure if I ever read it before. Just found a lovely $3.00 first edition at the Strand and will mail it to her tomorrow and remind her that I could have been triplets!

[Oolookitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A completely charming book, ostensibly narrated by "Dorrie", a somewhat spoiled (but endearing) only child who suddenly finds her world turned upside down when her mother becomes pregnant... with TRIPLETS. And those aren't the only kids who are going to join the family. Dorrie learns to get over her jealousy and realizes that her parents, though weary and less inclined to hover over her, still love her -- and in the meantime, writes one of the funniest memoirs/mystery novels you'll ever read. Wish there were a sequel; I'd love to know who Dorrie grew up to be.

[Alva · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a kid, overall, I loved this book and reread it many times, but I had a unique relationship with it. Like the early Dorrie, I, too, was an only child, and I could easily relate to the close relationship she had with her parents, but on the other hand, I did not want or love being an only child, and when the triplets, and Harold and Genevieve came along, and Dorrie became a jealous, whiny brat, I became very impatient with her and couldn't understand her anger, when I longed for siblings so. Upon rereading this years later, I still really enjoyed it. I found the illustrations adorable, and I found it refreshing that her parents were able to admit to Dorrie that they didn't always love the babies. I laughed when the father admitted that he still couldn't stand one of the boys. They are very enlightened parents. I still say Dorrie needed an attitude adjustment, though.

[Kitty Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite books when I was a kid. Pretty sure I checked it out 10+ times from the library. I don't remember anything except the feeling of fun in reading it. A lively story with a young heroine I could relate to. I remember thinking that the green cover was so inappropriate for the subject matter- it ought to have been a cover rich in colors and noise.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came to this as an adult and found it charming. A little dated, but still fun.

[Annette]

nice book

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I re-learned the title of this book thanks to the GoodReads forum for "What's the name of that book?" or something like that. I literally only remembered that there were triplets involved and one of them was named Deirdre and the family moved to a run-down house because the triplets were born. (All this from over 25 years ago--I'm not sure why the book stood out in my mind. I think it was because it was the first time I'd seen the name "Deirdre" (I was in 5th grade, maybe) and in my mind while reading it, I pronounced it "deer dree.") Anyway, from those sparse details, someone was able to tell me that the title of the book was Dorrie's Book.

When I went to search for it at the library, I found that it is only allowed for in-library use at the SF Main Library--it's a signed hardcover by Marilyn Sachs and is classified as a historical copy or something. I started reading on 3/2/19, returned on 3/13/19, and finished it on 3/31/19. A total of just under 3 hours to read it.

I originally read this book in 5th grade, borrowing it from my elementary school's library. It's a heavy book for a child, as the word "miscarriage" is in the first sentence of Chapter 1. I'm sure I didn't even understand or know what that word meant at all at the time. I probably associated it with baby carriage, since it went on to talk about babies. I love how the characters are based in SF (the author is from the East Coast but settled here and also worked at the SF Main Library for five years, which is what I learned from the back of the book) and the maturity of the narrator and the observations and insights she shares with us.

Dorrie writes this book as a 7th grade class assignment instead of reading about King Arthur. So that's why the cover of the book is a composition notebook cover.

I didn't know that the full saying is, "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die." pg. 60. So I learned that from this book. Also, Dorrie's full name is "Pandora."

I enjoyed Dorrie's dark moods and tantrums and how the author really takes us into it. It was realistic and I could relate to those feelings. Wanting to keep feeling bad even though her parents felt happy--to spite them for feeling happier than she.

I also forgot that the mean neighbor girl eventually becomes the narrator, Dorrie's, foster sister, along with the neighbor brother, so they become a family of 8 after the triplets are just a few months old. A fun and creative story for kids to read and learn about compassion, change, growth from upheaval, and sharing.

[Audrey Ettinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first read on Open Library after I learned about it from a wonderful Facebook group about vintage kids' books. As soon as I read the description there I remembered a lot about this book.

Loved it as a kid; super amusing as an adult because Dorrie's view of reality is clearly immature. OTOH, having surprise triplets and then adding 2 foster kids to the family (the girl of whom is a bully to D before she moves in) is a huge change for Dorrie, and it's not crazy that she is really thrown!

I remembered the triplets' name, the idea that Dorrie is writing the book because her classmates are trying to avoid reading King Arthur, and Dorrie's already read a better version of that, that one of her classmates tries to copy the idea of MASH for his book, and the foster kids moving in. I didn't remember the hilariously idyllic memories Dorrie has of life pre-other kids (including that her parents' friends sometimes find her obnoxious and pretentious).

[KarnagesMistress]

Poor Dorrie! I lost track of how many times I read this book in fourth and fifth grades. Each time made me angrier than the last. I'm the oldest of five, so I can totally sympathize. Selfish parents don't think about how their decisions affect their existing children. And ***spoiler alert*** taking in trashy foster kids?!? Totally unacceptable.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember much about the plot, but I remember loving this book in elementary school and re-reading it several times.

[Amy Raemont · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books makes me happy. I will read it again and again and will always love Marilyn Sachs.

[Josépin Lapin · Rating 5 out of 5]

C’est un des livres qui a le plus compté dans mon enfance. Je l’ai lu des dizaines de fois sans jamais me lasser