Benjamin Bateman and the Villains' Game

Hannele Lampela

Original title: Paavali Pattinen – Pahisten peli

Author: Hannele Lampela

Illustrator: Pasi Pitkänen

Published: 2026

Publisher: Otava

Genre: Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Pages: 144

Part of a series: Benjamin Bateman series

Reading material:

Finnish PDFs of full series (books 1-5), English samples of books 1-2, Danish edition books 1-3

Percy Jackson meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid: a funny, action-packed hero story with real emotional insight for modern readers.

What if your superhero costume looked like a butterfly and your only superpowers would be having a good heart and a lively imagination? Welcome to the embarrassing life of Benjamin Bateman!

A cruel plot threatens to destroy the heroes’ brain cells… In the final part of this thrillingly exciting and hilariously funny series for school‑aged readers, the adventure goes straight for the emotions.

All the heroes have a new green phone they can’t bear to put down. Where did it come from? And how could anyone get them off their phone addiction, one that Benjamin has also gotten stuck in?

Benjamin, however, has a bigger problem to solve: he is supposed to fight his arch‑enemy Mortem. Or could friendship turn out to be stronger than the destructive power of hatred?

Download reading materials

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

About author

Hannele Lampela

Hannele Lampela's lovable works have been praised above all for their rich humor and ability to truly show the world from a child's perspective. She has the ability to enchant her readers, and that is why both children and adults love her stories. Lampela's works have been dramatized for example by the Finnish National Theater, Kuopio City Theater and YLE's radio plays. She has been awarded the prestigious Kaarina Helakisa Prize for her work and she has been nominated for Runeberg Junior award in 2019 and for Storytel Award, and Arvid Lydecken Award five times, most recently in 2025.

In addition to her fictional works, Lampela has written and created  a world of stories for the next national ABC book of Finnish schools. First graders across the country will learn to read through Hannele’s texts. Lampela lives in a small wooden house in the middle of apple trees with her family, and spends her days not only writing, but also pampering herself and others on a regular basis.

Bibliography


2026, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Benjamin Bateman and the Villains' Game


2025, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Itty Bitty Princess: All Kinds of Emotions


2025, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Benjamin Bateman and the Wicked Sidekick


2025, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Itty Bitty Princess and the Fart Fairy’s Surprise Clean-Up


2024, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Hannele Lampela

How many more sleeps until Christmas, Itty Bitty Princess?


2024, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Benjamin Bateman and the Worst Day of School


2023, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Itty Bitty Princess and the Amazing Amusement Park


2023, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Benjamin Bateman and The Curse of the Mind-popping Pranks


2022, Chapter Books (6-9 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Itty Bitty Princess’s Teeny Bit Terrific Fairy Tales


2022, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Benjamin Bateman - Super Embarrassed Superhero


2022, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Itty Bitty Princess and the Truth About Babies


2021, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Tales of Wintertide 2: The Rose and the Dragon


2020, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Hannele Lampela

Tales of Wintertide: The Snow Queen's Spell