Izzy Gizmo: questions to ask and activities to try
Izzy Gizmo loves inventing, but her gadgets often go wrong. Izzy Gizmo is a rhyming story about frustration, persistence and helping a friend.
What age is it for? Izzy Gizmo is best for ages 3–7. Good for: Inventions that go wrong, and not giving up.
Izzy Gizmo (Pip Jones and Sara Ogilvie)
- Age
- 3-7
- Best for
- Inventions that go wrong, and not giving up
Read it with a child who gets cross when things don't work. Talk about what Izzy does when she's frustrated.
What it helps with
- Frustration when things go wrong
- Persistence and trying again
- Inventing and engineering
- Kindness to animals
Comprehension and discussion questions
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “What does Izzy love doing?”
- “What happens when her inventions fail?”
- “Who did she find?”
- “What did she build?”
- “Did it work first time?”
- “What would you invent?”
5-minute activities to try together
Junk invention
Build an invention from recycling, and fix it if it breaks.
Try again chart
Note every try at something hard until it works.
Free printables: Izzy Gizmo worksheet and activity pack
This book’s one-page worksheet with the questions and activities above, plus our activity pack: printable scenario cards, three 5-minute activities and a “What could I try?” page for practising everyday skills together. Enter your email and download them straight away.
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If your child liked this, try
The Most Magnificent Thing (Ashley Spires)
- Best for
- Frustration, persistence, making mistakes and trying again
- Age
- 4-8
Ada Twist, Scientist (Andrea Beaty and David Roberts)
- Best for
- Endless questions, curiosity and science
- Age
- 4-8
An Engineer Like Me (Shini Somara and Nadja Sarell)
- Best for
- Curiosity, engineering and inventing things
- Age
- 5-8
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 10 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.