Izzy Gizmo

Young inventor Izzy attempts to help an injured crow fly again.

Izzy Gizmo loves making things. She loves creating, mending, and improving so much so that she carries “her tool bag wherever she [goes].” Sadly, however, her inventions “don’t always work.” In rhyming verse, readers are told exactly how Izzy’s inventions misbehave, while the colorful illustrations highlight their complexity. Frustrated Izzy is encouraged by her caregiver grandfather, who, though the victim of her misbehaving innovations, dispenses this advice: “Sometimes you need / to try again and again if you want to succeed.” When Izzy discovers an injured crow that the vet says won’t fly again, she engages it in fun, earthbound activities, but the show more crow’s heart is still in the skies. Izzy decides to use her talents to make the crow new wings: she researches, makes lists, and gathers parts, but like her previous inventions, none of the wings work properly. At many points along the way, curly-haired, brown-skinned Izzy wants to quit—and says so—but continues to persevere and in the end succeeds. Though readers may wonder if the rhymes were necessary, this story of a girl engineer is sorely needed and has potential to develop and nourish readers’ interest in STEAM subjects. Additionally, themes of creativity and tenacity, together with the portrayal of a girl who’s allowed to show anger and frustration, make this a worthwhile read.

Fun, with depth . (Picture book. 4-8)

-Kirkus Review show less

IZZY GIZMO by Pip Jones tells the story of a young inventor who befriends an injured crow.

This colorful, lyrical picture book follows Izzy Gizmo who loves inventing things. Although she sometimes gets frustrated when her creations break down, she’s determined to help a crow with a broken wing. Of particular note are the attractice illustrations by Sara Ogilvie that are likely to appeal to children.

Librarians will find an audience among children who enjoy books about creativity and ingenuity. Weave the book into STEAM activities connected with invention and perseverance.

Published on March 1, 2018 by Peachtree. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Izzy Gizmo has a hack for building things as you can tell from all her inventions in the illustrations. Though she likes to build, her inventions sometimes never work. She gives up on her inventions and tries something new; by the look of the pictures she finds a helpless crow. The crow has a broken wing and tries help. Her wants to make him wings but her invention breaks making her want to give up. The Illustrations provides evidence she never does. She eventually makes the perfect wings from tools she takes from other people and the crow can fly again. The pictures in this book are so graphic and help portray her frustration that goes with the story of her making new inventions.

great book about a little girl who will not give up, great for rhyming words.

Rhyming text about a gadget-obsessed girl who doesn't give up.

See also: Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty; The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires