Izzy the Inventor and the Unexpected Unicorn

Zanna Davidson's wonderful story, Izzy the Inventor and the Unexpected Unicorn, is an enchanting tale filled with wonder, friendship, and the power of believing in yourself.

Izzy believes in science not magic! She wants to be the greatest inventor of all time but then along came a fairy and a goofy unicorn in need of help. Fairytale land is in trouble and only Izzy and her amazing science skills can save the day.

Zanna has managed to effortlessly blend elements of fantasy and science throughout the story. As Izzy and Sparkle venture through the whimsical world, readers are introduced to imaginative inventions and clever contraptions that are sure to spark their curiosity and encourage them to explore their own creative potential.

The underlying themes of problem-solving, perseverance, and the importance of following your passion make this book not only entertaining but also educational. It encourages children to think outside the box, embrace their unique talents, and face challenges with determination and creativity.

This is will be a wonderful addition to any school library or class reading corner and would be a wonderful book to inspire children to read for pleasure. I can imagine many young readers curled up in warm comfy spaces engrossed in this book.

128 pages / Reviewed by Amanda Shipton, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Izzy is a girl who likes science and doesn't believe in magic. She feels like the odd one out in her family. Then one day a fairy appears and insists that Izzy accompany her to a magical land. There, Izzy has a quest to complete to save to save a prince, accompanied by a unicorn called Henry. Using science, rather than magic, Izzy completes the quest, meeting some strange and slightly scary creatures along the way.

Izzy the Inventor and the Unexpected Unicorn blends real science experiments with a fantasy story and could probably be read and enjoyed by younger children if they had help with the science experiments. It is brought to life by Elissa Elwick's lively drawings. The story is humorous and fast paced, with just the right ratio of words and pictures on each page for younger readers.

It did make me want to try some of the experiments - most of them are ordinary ingredients you might have at home. I can see this becoming a popular choice for some children in KS1 and it is the first of a series featuring Izzy.

128 pages / Reviewed by Jacqueline Harris, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+