Izzy Gizmo
Written by Pip Jones
Illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
32 pages
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Published 2018 (Peachtree Publishing Company)
Recommended Age Range: Preschool through 2nd grade.
Publisher's Summary:
Izzy Gizmo’s inventions are marvelous, magnificent…and often malfunction. Despite the fact that she loves to invent, it never seems to work out in her favor. But when she finds a crow with a broken wing, she has to help! Author Pip Jones tells an inspiring story of creativity and perseverance in the face of failure while spotlighting friendship and intergenerational relationships.
Dr. Annie's Takeaways
Recommended for: This is a sweet story about a super creative girl whose inventions don’t always work as well as she had hoped. With encouragement from Grandpa, she perseveres instead of quitting, and she is ultimately successful. This book is a great read for kids who are inclined to give up when they aren’t initially successful and who could benefit from viewing failure as a stepping stone to success. This book is available in many languages, including English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Would a child like it? It’s a fun, rhyming story about a girl inventor who rescues a crow. Inventors and animal-lovers will connect with this plot.
Evidence-Based Practices:
Growth Mindset
Tone: Cheerful, silly, sweet
Story Quality: This is a fun, rhyming story about the importance of perseverance. It’s also a silly story about a girl who makes fantastical inventions (e.g., machines for eating spaghetti, making tea, and shaving Grandpa’s beard).
Illustrations: Fun, colorful illustrations. I particularly like the detailed drawings of Izzy’s wacky inventions.
Representation: Izzy is a girl, and she and her Grandpa have light brown skin and curly, dark brown hair. Izzy interacts with different adults in town who are different races and ethnicities. This book is available in many languages, including English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Psychological Practices: This book illustrates a growth mindset. Izzy’s inventions are not initially successful, and she gets frustrated and wants to give up. But with encouragement from her grandpa and the injured crow, she tries and tries again until she finally succeeds.
Concerns: Izzy could probably have managed her frustration better than she does in this story. She fumes, wants to give up, and yells, “I’m no good at succeeding.” The story doesn’t show her using any strategies to manage this frustration. It does, however, show that even though she was frustrated and perhaps not her best self, she still persevered and was ultimately successful.