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The Fantastic Freeze Ray: A Branches Book (Super Villains in Training #1)

The Fantastic Freeze Ray: A Branches Book (Super Villains in Training #1)

4.8

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Author(s)

Kailei Pew

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Estrela Lourenco

Publisher

Scholastic

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

March 03, 2026

ISBN

978-1546162117

Buy This Book

Full of evil plans gone wrong, hilarious hijinks, and a quirky but determined female super villain, Super Villains in Training is a brand-new full-color early chapter book series for younger children who aren't quite ready to read the bestselling series, The Bad Guys!

Pick a book. Grow a Reader!

This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

Vicky von Evil has one goal -- learn how to become the baddest, most dangerous villain of all time! The only problem is, being evil is way harder than it looks. Vicky enrolls at SVT, a top academy for all super villains in training. There, she and her best friend Will Wickedson learn important, evil skills. But as Will easily flies through each round of villain tests, Vicky has a harder time adjusting to her new school. Will she be able to stay at SVT? This full-color, fast-paced adventure is full of not-so-evil mess ups and action-packed hijinks!

With speech bubbles, easy-to-read text, and full-color artwork on every page, this brand-new early chapter book series is perfect for newly independent readers!

Editor review

1 review

fun chapter book for advancing independent readers

February 27, 2026 (Updated: June 08, 2026)

Overall rating

4.8

Plot

4.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

THE FANTASTIC FREEZE RAY is a delightful start to a new series, SUPER VILLAINS IN TRAINING. Vicky Von Evil was born to be a super villain - but it does not come easy for her. She is very excited to be accepted at a special school for villains, but she'll need to prove that she has what it takes!

What I loved: This is a fantastic format for independent readers who are moving away from picture books/early readers into chapter books. It is heavily illustrated with only a few sentences on each page and large, full color images. The colorful and comic-style illustrations are fantastic at grabbing attention and helping to convey the story, aiding young readers as they work their way through the book. It's almost like a long picture book, helping independent readers to stretch their skills and grow.

The story is very fun, with a focus on being a super villain (in a charming way). Young readers will relate to the story of wanting to fit in, feeling your family expectations, and wanting to succeed in school. Vicky is a compelling character, and the story is told from her perspective in a conversational tone that young readers will enjoy. The story has a nice touch of humor, and the ending is very sweet.

Final verdict: THE FANTASTIC FREEZE RAY is a charming chapter book, perfect for advancing independent readers with a fun story, great illustrations, and relatable themes.