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Marcy Lewis #2
There's a Bat in Bunk Five
Marcy Lewis is thrilled when Ms. Finney asks her to be a junior counselor at a creative arts camp. Finally, she’s on her own for the first time, away from family and school. It’s her big chance to reinvent herself in a place where no one knows how insecure she used to be. This could be the perfect summer, but will nosy, noisy campers ruin it all?
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
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539 people want to read
About the author
Paula Danziger
112 books349 followersPaula Danziger was an American children's author. She wrote more than 30 books, including her 1974 debut The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, for children's and young adult audiences. At the time of her death, all her books were still in print; they had been published in 53 countries and translated into 14 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
February 2, 2008
The new covers for adolescent books are so ridiculous. When I read the Danziger books, they looked like they had been painted by someone who held a brush in one hand and a joint in the other.
July 1, 2020
So yes, a major and important (not to mention necessary) part of what has (always) made Paula Danziger's The Cat Ate my Gymsuit so engagingly relatable and delightfully readable (on a personal and emotional level) is first person narrator and main protagonist Marcy Lewis and how she really does not fit in either at home or even all that much at school, how she (and thankfully rather successfully) must battle against her body fat issues and in particular her often horribly verbally abusive father at home and many of her blinkered and woefully one-sided robot like teachers at school (except of course for kindred spirit Miss Finney, the new English teacher, who is rocking the proverbial boat and telling her students to think and not just to follow, even telling them that engaging in mild civil disobedience as a form of protest is acceptable and sometimes even necessary).
However with the sequel, with There's a Bat in Bunk Five, instead of Paula Danziger having penned an engaging and realistic feeling continuation for The Cat Ate my Gymsuit, There's a Bat in Bunk Five is really and for all intents and purposes (and of course in my humble opinion) just another standardly typical and as such also pretty majorly unimaginative summer camp story, with the obligatory problem camper who ends up running away (Ginger Simon) and Marcy as one of the teenaged counsellors of course falling in love (and really for the first time) with fellow counsellor Ted, both story thread types which I for one really did not wish to encounter so strongly and so obviously overtly. For yes indeed, I have certainly read far too many similar summer camp stories over the years (and was therefore and actually hoping for more than just reading in There's a Bat in Bunk Five about campers ganging up on unpopular participants, boy/girl dynamics, counsellors dealing with bats, rodents and poison ivy, especially since the camp where Marcy is working for the summer is supposed to be an arts camp and so I had originally thought and hoped that perhaps there would be actual details on music, art and the like being prominently featured, but no, the latter in fact and actually appears more like a decorative trim than a main thematics in There's a Bat in Bunk Five).
And certainly, with the Marcy Lewis of There's a Bat in Bunk Five having morphed into a much more standard and universally popular type of teenaged character than what she (and oh so wonderfully) was in The Cat Ate my Gymsuit, with her almost magically having totally slimmed down and because she is at summer camp also of course not having to deal with her dysfunctional family dynamics, there is and there has been (at least according to my feelings and my personal reading philosophy) nothing really all that special and all that engaging in There's a Bat in Bunk Five, a decent enough traditional summer camp story to be sure, but in my opinion not really a worthy sequel to The Cat Ate my Gymsuit and absolutely not containing either the reading magic or the personal relatability of the latter.
However with the sequel, with There's a Bat in Bunk Five, instead of Paula Danziger having penned an engaging and realistic feeling continuation for The Cat Ate my Gymsuit, There's a Bat in Bunk Five is really and for all intents and purposes (and of course in my humble opinion) just another standardly typical and as such also pretty majorly unimaginative summer camp story, with the obligatory problem camper who ends up running away (Ginger Simon) and Marcy as one of the teenaged counsellors of course falling in love (and really for the first time) with fellow counsellor Ted, both story thread types which I for one really did not wish to encounter so strongly and so obviously overtly. For yes indeed, I have certainly read far too many similar summer camp stories over the years (and was therefore and actually hoping for more than just reading in There's a Bat in Bunk Five about campers ganging up on unpopular participants, boy/girl dynamics, counsellors dealing with bats, rodents and poison ivy, especially since the camp where Marcy is working for the summer is supposed to be an arts camp and so I had originally thought and hoped that perhaps there would be actual details on music, art and the like being prominently featured, but no, the latter in fact and actually appears more like a decorative trim than a main thematics in There's a Bat in Bunk Five).
And certainly, with the Marcy Lewis of There's a Bat in Bunk Five having morphed into a much more standard and universally popular type of teenaged character than what she (and oh so wonderfully) was in The Cat Ate my Gymsuit, with her almost magically having totally slimmed down and because she is at summer camp also of course not having to deal with her dysfunctional family dynamics, there is and there has been (at least according to my feelings and my personal reading philosophy) nothing really all that special and all that engaging in There's a Bat in Bunk Five, a decent enough traditional summer camp story to be sure, but in my opinion not really a worthy sequel to The Cat Ate my Gymsuit and absolutely not containing either the reading magic or the personal relatability of the latter.
May 6, 2019
Marcy is at it again but this time she is a camp counselor. She has to deal with giggling camper and the possibility of a boyfriend all in one summer.
This was cute had good Messages and fun friendships.
This was cute had good Messages and fun friendships.
May 5, 2017
i think that this book is really good and a little inappropriate and i would rate it a five my favorite part about this book is when she learns to take things a little less serious
August 31, 2007
I have been looking for this book ever since I read in it the 7th grade. I couldn't remember the name of it for the longest time and TODAY I thought what the heck I will google it once again (I just had a feeling I should) and not 5min into my search I found it!! This is a great story to read! I remember I could not stop smiling for most of the book. It just so damn sweet!
February 19, 2018
So this was a major disappointment because I so loved camp books as a child! But this didn't really seem to be about camp that much, and I just didn't really enjoy it.
October 26, 2018
Kid says 3 stars, I say 2. Either way, much weaker than the first book.
February 10, 2021
The first time I read this book I was younger than some of the campers Marcy is in charge of. I remember checking this book out of the school library in about the third grade. I read at a high level then but going back and reading this at 32...this book was a little mature...allusions to sex, making out, camp counselors getting busted for smoking weed in their cabins...
I’m sure I was oblivious to this back then. I just dreamed of going to sleep away camp in the summer.
I’m sure I was oblivious to this back then. I just dreamed of going to sleep away camp in the summer.
July 25, 2020
Marcy's date with Ted is still pretty much my ideal date. Pantyhose rolling and all. When I was in my early 30's, I visited a friend in the Hudson Valley. She took me for a quick visit to Woodstock, and I GOT TO GO TO THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK.
June 5, 2011
In this book I think the author wants us to know that Marcy is a girl who doesn't really fit in with most people because of how she looks. Also Marcy and her father don't have a good connection.But when she goes to this special writing camp to be a counselor, her life just turns so much better. I think the author also wants us to fell happy for Marcy because she finally found someone who respects how she looks, after all those years of thinking that no one will ever like her. If I put myself in Marcy's shoes I think I would feel sad because my dad wanted to get rid of me so he sent me to camp.
January 1, 2022
This book is another amazing work of YA lit. Marcy Lewis spends a summer at camp as a CIT and goes through extraordinary personal development. One of the best things about Paula Danziger’s writing style is just how real and flawed her characters are. She writes complicated family dynamics in such an amazing way, and having her protagonist get away from her family and still struggle with similar intrapersonal issues is so interesting. Loved it, couldn’t put it down, I want to re-read every book by this author.
January 16, 2010
This is a book that talks about a girl named Marcy that is 14 years old. She goes to camp and the drama begins! Girls from all over go to camp and all get along except Ginger a girl that always have been a trouoble maker makes. But when Marcy finds a guy named Ted they fall in love and start going out everything gets better!! But when camp is starting to finish their relationship might finsh also.
January 26, 2008
When I moved into my classroom, there were all manner of paperbacks left on the bookcase in the back of the room- this was one of them. I never would have read Theres a Bat In Bunk Five when I was of the age that this book is aimed at, but reading it now, I really appreciate Dazinger's characterization and
January 2, 2013
Re-read of an old childhood standby. I think I liked it way back because the main character's life was so utterly different from my own. Doesn't really hold up over time, though. The writing style is too sparse in some places and overly detailed in others.
October 1, 2018
'The Cat Ate My Gymsuit' was a seminal book for me, I think I read it in junior high and so loved Marcy Lewis the smart, sarcastic, overweight, awkward protagonist. I didn't find much of Marcy's voice remaining in this companion book where she's away at summer camp.
March 31, 2010
Marcy is slimmed down and back for another round of love, life and laughter. hahah. what a cheesy review.
June 24, 2007
This sequal to The Cat Ate My Gymsuit was one of my favorite books as a teenager. I remember there was enough romance in it to keep it interesting, but not enough sex to be scandalizing.
March 1, 2009
I have found it a real enjoyment and I hope to read more of Paula Danziger books. I strongly suggest this book to anyone!
August 13, 2021
Marcy Lewis is back, and she’s feeling campy.
When her favorite English teacher, Ms. Finney, invites Marcy to be a counselor-in-training at Camp Serendipity, her creative arts camp, Marcy said yes. Marcy had never had a teacher like Ms. Finney, who encouraged her to write, to use her voice, and to stand up for what she believed in. Her father was not a fan of the teacher.
But now, Marcy has a chance, right before she turns 15, to go off to camp for the summer and help younger kids try to find their voices too. And she gets a chance to get out of her house, where she often quarrels with her dad, and to stand on her own for a while. It’s a big deal for her, and she’s very excited.
And then she gets to the camp. Ms. Finney (“Call me Barbara”) and her husband Carl are there, along with several goats and lots of wildlife. The counselors and counselors-in-training get to camp early to clean up and get ready for the campers, and to get to know each other. And while Marcy learns to deal with the mouse droppings in the cabin, the finger she accidentally stapled, bug juice, and the cute guy who flirted with her before moving on to someone else, she decides she might just have some fun over the summer after all.
Her days are busy, helping her senior counselor Corrine keep their gang of 11- and 12-year-old girls in check. She’s helping with the camp newsletter and the magazine on top of her counselor duties, and she is getting closer to fellow counselor-in-training Ted. She’s sending letters home when she can (and when the goats don’t eat them), and she’s enjoying being on her own fir the first time.
But with the fun comes responsibility, and when Marcy lets some of her new friends down, she is devastated. Will Marcy be able to find the balance between being there for herself and being there for others?
There’s a Bat in Bunk Five is the sequel to The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, both of which were favorite books of mine while I was growing up. Author Paula Danziger has a way of creating characters that feel familiar and warm, like old friends you can share secrets with, and embarrassing moments, and get a little teary with. I always loved Marcy and her stories, and I loved reading these books about her over and over. Even now, decades later, there are phrases that I could still quote, because they still lived in me. I truly adore There’s a Bat in Bunk Five, and I hope other readers will discover Marcy’s stories and adore her too.
When her favorite English teacher, Ms. Finney, invites Marcy to be a counselor-in-training at Camp Serendipity, her creative arts camp, Marcy said yes. Marcy had never had a teacher like Ms. Finney, who encouraged her to write, to use her voice, and to stand up for what she believed in. Her father was not a fan of the teacher.
But now, Marcy has a chance, right before she turns 15, to go off to camp for the summer and help younger kids try to find their voices too. And she gets a chance to get out of her house, where she often quarrels with her dad, and to stand on her own for a while. It’s a big deal for her, and she’s very excited.
And then she gets to the camp. Ms. Finney (“Call me Barbara”) and her husband Carl are there, along with several goats and lots of wildlife. The counselors and counselors-in-training get to camp early to clean up and get ready for the campers, and to get to know each other. And while Marcy learns to deal with the mouse droppings in the cabin, the finger she accidentally stapled, bug juice, and the cute guy who flirted with her before moving on to someone else, she decides she might just have some fun over the summer after all.
Her days are busy, helping her senior counselor Corrine keep their gang of 11- and 12-year-old girls in check. She’s helping with the camp newsletter and the magazine on top of her counselor duties, and she is getting closer to fellow counselor-in-training Ted. She’s sending letters home when she can (and when the goats don’t eat them), and she’s enjoying being on her own fir the first time.
But with the fun comes responsibility, and when Marcy lets some of her new friends down, she is devastated. Will Marcy be able to find the balance between being there for herself and being there for others?
There’s a Bat in Bunk Five is the sequel to The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, both of which were favorite books of mine while I was growing up. Author Paula Danziger has a way of creating characters that feel familiar and warm, like old friends you can share secrets with, and embarrassing moments, and get a little teary with. I always loved Marcy and her stories, and I loved reading these books about her over and over. Even now, decades later, there are phrases that I could still quote, because they still lived in me. I truly adore There’s a Bat in Bunk Five, and I hope other readers will discover Marcy’s stories and adore her too.
June 16, 2019
I had never read a book as clearly marketed to tween girls before, and when I saw this book on the free book shelf, it had such a retrotastic cover, that I wanted it just to look at while listening to old records. Basically, I wanted to try something new, while still scratching that nostalgia itch. And then, I read it. I was surprised at how few surprises there were.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Marcy is a bookish 14-year old girl who followed her mom's dieting advice and got skinny enough for boys to notice. In what is perhaps the most surprising aspect of this book, this is treated as a positive development and one step on the way to becoming a happy member of society. Her teacher invites her to be a junior camp counselor over the summer, and when her senior gets poison ivy (nefariously applied), ends up with more responsibilities than she expected.
There is a boy who all the girls like because he is super attractive. He also flirts with everyone, but if you go to his room, he will just show you pictures of himself and talk about his success in sports. I thought that maybe this character was going to be shown to have some redeeming qualities at some point, and maybe turn the whole stereotype on its head, but that doesn't happen. He does help try to find the missing camper at the end, but then again, everybody does.
There is another boy, who is also cute, but not as cute, who plays guitar and is gentle and humorous in various situations. He takes an immediate liking to Marcy and they go for make-out dates, while never going all the way. I thought that we were going to learn that just because a boy has all traits of the "deep guy," that doesn't necessarily make him the best romantic partner. I thought maybe some of what he was presenting was a facade, but that isn't the case, and he rises to the challenge of being the perfect gentleman in every situation, only saying one creepy thing while they are making out and Marcy both wants to keep making out, but doesn't want to go all the way.
To paraphrase, he tells Marcy "you wouldn't want to see me horny and unsatisfied." But anyways, that's all fine in this story.
There is one camper who nobody can relate to. She says vicious things to everybody, and poisons her cabin counselor (Marcy's senior). So, of course, I thought we would find out that she actually cares about the people around her just a little bit, and that the other campers were unnecessarily alienating her. It turns out her unseen home life is the only reason we have to sympathize with her, and she runs away at the end of the book, and continues to talk shit to everybody when they find her.
End spoilers?
There is a moral quandary in the book, which is that the more Marcy pays attention to her budding romance, the less attention she pays to her cabin. The head counselor, who is her teacher from school reminds her that life is just a series of choices that nobody learns to make perfectly.
I upped the rating of this book from a 2 to a 3, because I actually like that the book doesn't present any issues in black and white morality. Yes, Marcy should have paid more attention to her cabin, but only by about one hour, and if she had, she would have missed that formative lesson. It could have gone much further to present stereotypes as misleading, but instead the book just uses stereotypes as character types. And... That's it!
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Marcy is a bookish 14-year old girl who followed her mom's dieting advice and got skinny enough for boys to notice. In what is perhaps the most surprising aspect of this book, this is treated as a positive development and one step on the way to becoming a happy member of society. Her teacher invites her to be a junior camp counselor over the summer, and when her senior gets poison ivy (nefariously applied), ends up with more responsibilities than she expected.
There is a boy who all the girls like because he is super attractive. He also flirts with everyone, but if you go to his room, he will just show you pictures of himself and talk about his success in sports. I thought that maybe this character was going to be shown to have some redeeming qualities at some point, and maybe turn the whole stereotype on its head, but that doesn't happen. He does help try to find the missing camper at the end, but then again, everybody does.
There is another boy, who is also cute, but not as cute, who plays guitar and is gentle and humorous in various situations. He takes an immediate liking to Marcy and they go for make-out dates, while never going all the way. I thought that we were going to learn that just because a boy has all traits of the "deep guy," that doesn't necessarily make him the best romantic partner. I thought maybe some of what he was presenting was a facade, but that isn't the case, and he rises to the challenge of being the perfect gentleman in every situation, only saying one creepy thing while they are making out and Marcy both wants to keep making out, but doesn't want to go all the way.
To paraphrase, he tells Marcy "you wouldn't want to see me horny and unsatisfied." But anyways, that's all fine in this story.
There is one camper who nobody can relate to. She says vicious things to everybody, and poisons her cabin counselor (Marcy's senior). So, of course, I thought we would find out that she actually cares about the people around her just a little bit, and that the other campers were unnecessarily alienating her. It turns out her unseen home life is the only reason we have to sympathize with her, and she runs away at the end of the book, and continues to talk shit to everybody when they find her.
End spoilers?
There is a moral quandary in the book, which is that the more Marcy pays attention to her budding romance, the less attention she pays to her cabin. The head counselor, who is her teacher from school reminds her that life is just a series of choices that nobody learns to make perfectly.
I upped the rating of this book from a 2 to a 3, because I actually like that the book doesn't present any issues in black and white morality. Yes, Marcy should have paid more attention to her cabin, but only by about one hour, and if she had, she would have missed that formative lesson. It could have gone much further to present stereotypes as misleading, but instead the book just uses stereotypes as character types. And... That's it!
Read
August 1, 2023I needed to read something nostalgic for a readathon prompt, so I picked this old summer fave. I probably haven't read this since I was like 12! The teenagers seemed so grown up to me then! Amazing. I love coming back and reading something with a fresh perspective. This was an easy 5 star for pre-teen me; as an adult I'm not rating it because I didn't get much out of it other than nostalgia. Which is fine! Not everything can translate from the pre-teen mind to the adult mind. I'm glad I read this when it had an impact on me.
I will say, the bat death didn't bother me when I was 12 but it did now! I actually really hated reading that. I've grown a love for bats since then I guess. Other than that, this is a cute vintage young YA book with some funny and relatable lines. I grew up in the 80s so I can't judge how "dated" this would feel to kids today, but I think the core things discussed are pretty universal. Warning for the killing of a bat though 😢
I will say, the bat death didn't bother me when I was 12 but it did now! I actually really hated reading that. I've grown a love for bats since then I guess. Other than that, this is a cute vintage young YA book with some funny and relatable lines. I grew up in the 80s so I can't judge how "dated" this would feel to kids today, but I think the core things discussed are pretty universal. Warning for the killing of a bat though 😢
February 7, 2021
Memories!!! It's been too long since I read THERE'S A BAT IN BUNK FIVE by Paula Danziger. I had the original paperback when I was a kid and it was a favorite book alongside its companion book: THE CAT ATE MY GYMSUIT.
THERE'S A BAT BUNK FIVE, originally published in the early 1980s, holds up fairly well in 2021. Before you come after me -- YES, it is dated, but the overall themes hold true. Marcy's worries about not being perfect, being afraid of trying news things and failing, her annoyance with her parents, and her pangs of first love are honest and still relevant. There's a lot about this book that kids today can relate to even though it was written before the age of home computers, smartphones, and the internet.
For adults who read it as a kid -- go on, give it another read. It's worth it.
THERE'S A BAT BUNK FIVE, originally published in the early 1980s, holds up fairly well in 2021. Before you come after me -- YES, it is dated, but the overall themes hold true. Marcy's worries about not being perfect, being afraid of trying news things and failing, her annoyance with her parents, and her pangs of first love are honest and still relevant. There's a lot about this book that kids today can relate to even though it was written before the age of home computers, smartphones, and the internet.
For adults who read it as a kid -- go on, give it another read. It's worth it.
April 6, 2023
Here's another one I missed out on as a kid. If I'd known there was a sequel to "The Cat Ate My Gymsuit", I definitely would've gotten to this one!
It's definitely not as good as TCAMG. I know from reading "Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction" that books set at camp were very popular in the late 70s-early 80s and this is Paula Danziger's contribution to the category. I liked revisiting Marcy (and that her horrible parents were missing, except for the first chapter), but a lot of the book just felt like a list of things kids do at summer camp: "we hiked, we swam, there were mosquitos, we sat around the campfire".
Also, this edition has the UGLIEST COVER I've ever seen on a YA book. Is Marcy's head on backwards? It's terrible! I wanted to deduct another star! I really miss the more realistic art on the 70s and 80s paperbacks.
It's definitely not as good as TCAMG. I know from reading "Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction" that books set at camp were very popular in the late 70s-early 80s and this is Paula Danziger's contribution to the category. I liked revisiting Marcy (and that her horrible parents were missing, except for the first chapter), but a lot of the book just felt like a list of things kids do at summer camp: "we hiked, we swam, there were mosquitos, we sat around the campfire".
Also, this edition has the UGLIEST COVER I've ever seen on a YA book. Is Marcy's head on backwards? It's terrible! I wanted to deduct another star! I really miss the more realistic art on the 70s and 80s paperbacks.
September 18, 2019
The sequel to The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, this follows the story of Marcy to an arts camp run by her former English teacher. Danziger does a good job of continuing Marcy's growth; it's always reassuring to see that change doesn't happen instantly (particularly when we're talking about teenagers) and that growth is gradual. Marcy has to balance being a counselor to a bunch of 12-year-old girls (when she's only 16 herself, I think) with her new relationship with another camp counselor. She's older, better at recognizing her own faults, and more open to new things. No doubt Marcy will backtrack a bit after the end of the summer, but she'll keep growing and learning and maturing.
I'm still not sure how I feel about Marcy having lost weight between the two books, though. It bothers me.
I'm still not sure how I feel about Marcy having lost weight between the two books, though. It bothers me.
March 27, 2023
There’s A Bat In Bunk Five is the sequel to Paula Danziger’s The Cat Ate My Gymsuit and it takes place the following summer after the events of that novel.
Marcy Lewis has lost a lot of weight, is about to turn fifteen, and has been asked by her former high school teacher, Ms. Finney who she now calls “Barbara", to be a counselor at her creative arts camp — Camp Serendipity. Marcy is thrilled at the opportunity. It’s her first time away from her family so, over the course of the summer, Marcy problem solves, makes judgment calls, deals with the bat of the title, navigates her first love, and tries to be a “grown up” all on her own.
The gist of the novel's loose "plot" is pretty basic: Marcy arrives at camp; befriends fellow Bunk 5 counselor Corrine; is hit on by lothario counselor Jimmy; is successfully wooed by cutie counselor Ted; constantly deals with spoiled and somewhat racist problem camper Ginger; becomes slightly disappointed with Ms. Finney when she doesn’t have all the answers; realizes she may not be ready for sex; learns not to expect perfection from herself or others; and then it abruptly ends...there’s no conclusion or closure to anything.
I recall liking There’s A Bat In Bunk Five as much as The Cat Ate My Gymsuit. Re-reading it as an adult I found plot-wise that it’s a nothing burger of a novel. Whereas I felt The Cat Ate My Gymsuit had actual substance behind its plot, There’s A Bat In Bunk Five is nothing but fluff — like the stuff you put inside your Somemores (I had no idea S'mores is an abbreviation for this until I re-read this novel!).
Recommended only for those who first read this way back when the novel was originally published and were around the same age as Marcy. Adults reading this for the first time now probably won’t get all the love for this book and a kid reading it today may be bored with it. 4 stars due to nostalgia alone because there’s something to be said about the nostalgic factor.
Marcy Lewis has lost a lot of weight, is about to turn fifteen, and has been asked by her former high school teacher, Ms. Finney who she now calls “Barbara", to be a counselor at her creative arts camp — Camp Serendipity. Marcy is thrilled at the opportunity. It’s her first time away from her family so, over the course of the summer, Marcy problem solves, makes judgment calls, deals with the bat of the title, navigates her first love, and tries to be a “grown up” all on her own.
The gist of the novel's loose "plot" is pretty basic: Marcy arrives at camp; befriends fellow Bunk 5 counselor Corrine; is hit on by lothario counselor Jimmy; is successfully wooed by cutie counselor Ted; constantly deals with spoiled and somewhat racist problem camper Ginger; becomes slightly disappointed with Ms. Finney when she doesn’t have all the answers; realizes she may not be ready for sex; learns not to expect perfection from herself or others; and then it abruptly ends...there’s no conclusion or closure to anything.
I recall liking There’s A Bat In Bunk Five as much as The Cat Ate My Gymsuit. Re-reading it as an adult I found plot-wise that it’s a nothing burger of a novel. Whereas I felt The Cat Ate My Gymsuit had actual substance behind its plot, There’s A Bat In Bunk Five is nothing but fluff — like the stuff you put inside your Somemores (I had no idea S'mores is an abbreviation for this until I re-read this novel!).
Recommended only for those who first read this way back when the novel was originally published and were around the same age as Marcy. Adults reading this for the first time now probably won’t get all the love for this book and a kid reading it today may be bored with it. 4 stars due to nostalgia alone because there’s something to be said about the nostalgic factor.
March 3, 2025
This was a decent follow-up to The Cat Ate My Gymsuit. However, the "moral" at the end was a big heavy-handed. It is a good message not to beat yourself up for not being perfect, but we didn't need to be hit over the head with a sledgehammer.
Also, minus one star for the cruel murder of a bat and the perpetuation of a negative stereotype of said bat. Yes, a few bats may have rabies, but it is a very small number and there are other animals that are far more likely to carry the disease. The bat scene spreads misinformation and makes it seem ok to kill harmless animals. All they needed to do was gently get it out the cabin door.
Also, minus one star for the cruel murder of a bat and the perpetuation of a negative stereotype of said bat. Yes, a few bats may have rabies, but it is a very small number and there are other animals that are far more likely to carry the disease. The bat scene spreads misinformation and makes it seem ok to kill harmless animals. All they needed to do was gently get it out the cabin door.
October 16, 2019
After the events of the first book, Marcy is a little different. Not only has she changed herself physically. She's going to be a camp counselor and she also has a new boyfriend. Dealing with new feelings and campers, Marcy finds no ones perfect. Not her, not her parents, not her boyfriend, and not even Ms. Finney. People make mistakes, and life can be messy.
This book has a lot of messages for kids coming of age. I really recommend it. It was a cute and fun read.
This book has a lot of messages for kids coming of age. I really recommend it. It was a cute and fun read.
September 1, 2025
I appreciated the gentle life lessons here for young teenagers, and Danziger's off-kilter sense of humor made the book really shine in parts.
My big problem was there were 12 (!) campers in Marcy's cabin, and even with the list of girls and their traits that was provided, it was hard to keep them straight -- and, apart from a few of them, ultimately pointless.
3.5 stars.
My big problem was there were 12 (!) campers in Marcy's cabin, and even with the list of girls and their traits that was provided, it was hard to keep them straight -- and, apart from a few of them, ultimately pointless.
3.5 stars.
June 21, 2021
Did not like this one. The first book was better. Plus what was with the creepy boyfriend who she just met and who was furious with her for going shopping with her friends. That was a bit stalker-ish.
May 15, 2022
When Marcy Lewis is invited to become a counselor-in-training at a summer arts camp, she little expects a bat, a problem camper, or handsome Ted. California Young Readers Medal for Middle School/Junior High (1984) .
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