Dorrie and the Amazing Magic Elixir

Dorrie the Little Witch #11

by Patricia Coombs

Left in charge of an elixir that will make one spell-proof, Dorrie, the little witch, foils the Green Wizard's attempt to steal it.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Fantasy, Witches, Kids

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 28, 1974

About the author

Patricia 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

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leaving your child or assistant alone to produce and protect an amazingly powerful new whatever is like attending a rich English people house party: you just know something awful with happen. I guess fictional characters don't read much.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorrie the wonderful! Dorrie the winsome! Dorrie the adorable! Dorrie - the little witch with mismatched socks and hat permanently askew - returns in this, her eleventh adventure, facing off against an evil Green Wizard. When the Big Witch, in the process of brewing a Magic Elixir - something which will make whoever drinks it indestructible: hex-proof, spell-proof, and potion-proof - must run out for some more moon herbs, she briefly leaves Dorrie in charge. (Sometimes, I really do wonder what the Big Witch can be thinking, but that's another story!) Neither Dorrie nor her mother realize that a nasty Green Wizard, determined to revenge himself upon the Big Witch, in repayment of the spell she once used to turn him into a hat-rack, is lurking nearby. Naturally, when the Green Wizard attempts to steal the elixir, it falls to Dorrie to foil his dastardly plan...

I adored every Dorrie book I read, as a girl, taking them out of the library again and again, but Dorrie and the Amazing Magic Elixir was a particular favorite! It was so exciting, so nervewracking! to follow along, as Dorrie attempted to defeat yet another magical adversary with greater years and experience than she! Would she ever regain her human form, once turned into a toad? The visuals here, with the swirling, misty magic, complete with starry explosions, are particularly satisfying! Yes, it's another deeply satisfying Dorrie tale from Patricia Coombs! But then... is there any other kind?

[Bess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite of the Dorrie books -- it's a shame they don't have a jacket image on hand, because it's gorgeously intricate hippie-60s illustration, as is the interior.

I actually got in trouble for taking these books out of the library in kindergarten constantly. The librarian's assistant (not the librarian, but the librarian's ASSISTANT) pulled me aside when I went to check one out for about the hundredth time, SIGHED HEAVILY, and instructed me to pick another "kind" of book from now on.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This time when Dorrie tries to help she gets turned into a frog. One thing I appreciate about these books is the well thought out creativity. The pictures make you want to jump in an be there with Dorrie and the Big Witch.

[Heila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read and read and *read* these books as a kid, and had forgotten all about them. I think they make a nice bridge between standard picture books and ones with much more text, but still plenty of wonderful illustrations. I looked and looked at the pictures as well as reading about Dorrie's escapades when I was young. I like the fantastical element in the illustrations and in the stories. They're grounded in humor though and real, warty (pun totally intended here) characters. The way the mother witch's sleeves flow is what might've inspired my own drawings of flowing sleeves around the ages of 8 and 9 maybe. There was also a long period when I drew princesses wearing cone-shaped hats with flowing gauze streaming from the tops. I believe these books appeal to that age and personality.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those stories where coincidence is used to jump start the action. How did the Green Wizard know that the Big Witch was trying to concoct a magic elixir on that particular day anyway? Did he spy on her every day to see what she was up to? Or did he just happen to be spying on the day that she makes this potion and then leaves Dorrie in charge of it? So the whole story hangs on a coincidence. Otherwise, a thrilling story with Dorrie and another wizard being turned into toads by the Green Wizard. Coombs' signature black and white illustrations include accents of green, pink and purple.

[Capn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone needs to reissue an omnibus with all of these wonderfully illustrated stories in a single hardback. I'd pay a hefty sum to have a good hard copy volume of these!
Read this on OpenLibrary - even their copy was torn and stained. :S
Dorrie and Mr. Obs are both turned into toads. Dorrie finds a spell to counteract it, instead grows into giant toad. Stays toad until the last page, and has all sorts of fun overeating, having a bath, not brushing her hair or teeth before bed. Quite fun.

[Min · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Dorrie book, and I understand how the stories have endured for so many years. They have a strong story with amusing, and clever elements. I love the little plot twists.
How is the Green Witch's plan foiled? What is the Amazing Magic Elixir? i very much enjoyed discovering this author, and this character.

[Alaina Sloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An oldie but goodie early reader series that's also fun to read aloud to younger readers. Especially liked by girls (who gravitate toward the covers), but boys generally like Dorrie's bumbling and catastrophic flubs, too, when they pick up the books.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book series as a child.

[Rhapsody · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all-time favorite series when I was a kid. I just recently remembered it. The illustrations weren't high art or anything, but really fun to look at, and the stories were fun.