Baron Von Baddie

How could I resist a book whose first two sentences are:

Baron von Baddie was a genius.
An EVIL genius.

I could almost feel my super powers surge as Captain Kapow came onto the scene and stopped the Baron’s robot from stealing ice cream cones.

This book is filled with cut-out style pictures, clear focal points, humor, and action. The comic-book style is appealing to all age levels. There are very few words per page; the illustrations tell a large part of the story. Filled with rich vocabulary, this book would make a great addition to any library!

Speech Therapy Ideas:

1. The vocabulary is fantastic. Talk about these words during the story and afterward: nemesis, foiled, genius, unthinkable, routine, experiment, incident, plotting, invention, stunning, revelation, chaos, and this phrase “sprang into action”. Define the words. Challenge the family to use each word during the dinner conversation.

2. There are many opportunities for practice /k/ sounds in this book. I’ve had difficulties finding good books for older students to practice /k, g/. Because this book appeals to such a wide range of ages, it can be used with 8+ year-olds that need to say “Captain Kapow!” over and over. Plus, the children can pretend they are a super hero and run around the house saying “Kapow!”

3. Summarize and retell the story together. Then have your child retell the story alone. Act this one out. Don’t forget your super cape!