My Bunkmate Hates Puppies - (Camp Lil Vills) by Sam Hay (Hardcover)

About the Book

"At her father's summer camp set in the middle of an enchanted forest, Bloom finds herself bunking with Cruella de Vil, who hates puppies (and pretty much everything else), and who wants to steal the rare furry Nerbit and turn it into a fancy hat."--

Book Synopsis

Disney Villains are known for causing trouble. But what about before they were all grown up? When young Cruella gets to this most magical summer camp, things get hairy!

Bloom loves welcoming new campers to the enchanting Camp Lil' Vills. But there's something off about her fancy new bunkmate, Cruella, who seems to hate nature but is very interested in the rare fuzzy nerbit in their creature-care class. Almost too interested. Could this leopard (or Dalmatian) have changed its spots? Or does Cruella have something sinister up her perfect sleeve?

Catch all the Camp Lil' Vills chapter books!

• My Bunkmate Hates Puppies
• My Teammate is a Hot Head
• There's a Sea Witch in my Swim Class

Review Quotes

The first in a new early chapter book series that reimagines Disney baddies as youngsters. It's the first day of a new session at Lilliputian Villages Summer Camp, run by a former evil sorcerer with help from his daughter, Bloom. While the campers are a mix of witches, werewolves, and fairies, it isn't clear what category Bloom falls into, though she has magic capabilities. Bloom welcomes her new bunkmates, including a dog-hating little girl with black-and-white hair named Cruella. The name of the series, Camp Lil' Vills, might clue readers in to its premise: Each book features a childhood version of a famous Disney villain, in this case, Cruella De Vil from One Hundred and One Dalmations. Young Cruella tries to turn a cuddly magical creature into a hat, so, in an effort to teach her empathy, Bloom and her friend Benji transform Cruella into a Dalmatian--a plan that goes about as well as readers aware of adult Cruella's exploits might expect. Featuring lots of whimsical phrases ("laughing our spell-socks off"), the story is predicated on readers' familiarity with Cruella--though even ardent Disney fans may find the featherweight plot a bit lackluster. Characters' race and ethnicity aren't described in the text. In the black-and-white art, characters have skin the white of the page; Benji presents Asian. Unlikely to enchant even readers who get the joke. (Fiction. 6-9)- Kirkus (Jan 15, 2023)

Gr 1-3-A charming opener to the "Camp Lil' Vills" series centering Disney villains attending summer camp. The narrator and protagonist Bloom, daughter of a reformed sorcerer, likes to welcome all new campers and make them feel at home. That task has proven to be quite challenging when her new bunkmate arrives---a pint-size Cruella de Vil. The fashionable and snobby girl with white and black hair hates all creatures, expects everyone to serve her, and never cares enough to remember people's names. Blooms starts to suspect that her bunkmate has ulterior motives for being there when Cruella becomes weirdly interested in the camp's magical creatures, such as unicorns and the rare, furry Norbert. She is also fascinated by the camp's special laundry machine, which creates clothing made from any material. Sporadic, black-and-white images reinforce the copy and make even little Cruella look super sweet. Silly details like color-changing pancakes and Glo-carts powered by fairy dust offer just the right amount of worldbuilding for those looking for ­Disney magic. Plus, there are spells and transformations aplenty. An appreciation of nature and the outdoors, and a time-honored celebration of friendship and ingenuity are the through line of this sweet tale. ­Beware: there is no redemption for the puppy-hating villainess, but a sweet friendship develops ­between the narrator and another camper that seems to be the series anchor in future volumes. VERDICT Accessible language, short chapters with cliff-hangers, a fun twist, and lots of white space make this a great choice for children ready to venture into chapter books.-Shelley M. Diaz- SLJ (Mar 1, 2023)

About the Author

Sam Hay trained as a journalist in Edinburgh. She worked in newspapers and for BBC Television in London, before moving to Wales to have a baby and write her first children's book. Since then she's had more than 40 books published.Sam Hay trained as a journalist in Edinburgh. She worked in newspapers and for BBC Television in London, before moving to Wales to have a baby and write her first children's book. Since then she's had more than 40 books published. Sam's favourite story themes include: magic, ghosts and crazy animal adventures. She takes inspiration from her fantastic family.

Ria Maria Lee is a Korean American illustrator currently based in sunny Southern California. She loves pretty much anything colorful, lovely, and slightly cheeky. After graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she has created work for children's books, mobile games, and animation. When Ria is not drawing, she enjoys baking, lifting weights in the gym, and binge-watching sitcoms or crime thrillers.