Written by Zanna Davidson and illustrated by Elissa Elwick, the award-winning Izzy the Inventor series from Usborne brings science, magic and a lovable unicorn together in a wonderfully funny collection of chapter books designed to spark young readers’ curiosity. Packed with illustrations, comic strips, easy-to-read text and STEM-inspired adventures, the series is particularly well suited to beginner and newly independent readers, as well as fans of Isadora Moon and The Naughtiest Unicorn.
Every book also includes ideas for science experiments and a QR code linking to even more activities to try at home, making the stories an entertaining springboard into hands-on discovery. The series has been shortlisted for The Alligator’s Mouth Award and The Week Junior Book Awards, while Izzy the Inventor and the Unexpected Unicorn won the Reading Rocks KS1 Award and was selected for The Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge 2024.
Parents will love the way the Izzy the Inventor series makes STEM, problem-solving and independent reading feel fun and accessible, while children will delight in Izzy’s hilarious adventures, magical mishaps and ingenious inventions.
Izzy the Inventor and the Unexpected Unicorn
The book that launches the series introduces us to Izzy, a determined young inventor who firmly believes in science and absolutely does not believe in magic. That certainty is wonderfully challenged when her Fairy Godmother sends her to Fairytale Land to rescue Prince Charming, accompanied by the irrepressibly enthusiastic Henry the unicorn. From trolls and goblins to a bottomless lake of despair, Izzy discovers that her scientific knowledge can solve even the most fantastical problems, while her adventure reveals something equally important about friendship, teamwork and keeping an open mind. Funny, fast-paced and packed with imaginative invention, this is an excellent introduction to a character who demonstrates that curiosity and critical thinking can take us somewhere extraordinary. £5.99 published May 2023 by Usborne.
Izzy the Inventor and the Curse of Doom
Izzy and Henry return to Fairytale Land for another wonderfully chaotic adventure, this time facing a wicked fairy’s curse that threatens to make a prince disappear. The inventive challenges come thick and fast: Izzy must work out how to make snow in summer, create an exploding volcano and devise a contraption that can help Henry fly. Davidson cleverly turns each fantastical predicament into an opportunity for scientific thinking, while Elwick’s expressive illustrations add plenty of visual humour to the story. The looming presence of an enormous dragon raises the stakes, but it is Izzy’s ingenuity, persistence and willingness to experiment that remain the real superpowers. A charming choice for children beginning to discover the joy of STEM. £5.99 published August 2023 by Usborne.
Izzy the Inventor and the Time Travelling Gnome
This third adventure takes Izzy’s inventive imagination somewhere entirely unexpected: through time. When Henry becomes trapped in a tall tower in Fairytale Land, Izzy arrives armed with water balloons, catapults and musical instruments, only to discover that her usual inventions cannot solve this particular problem. Her unlikely solution involves a bad-tempered gnome and the extraordinary challenge of time travel. The story cleverly reinforces one of the series’ strongest messages: sometimes our first solution will not work, and successful problem-solving means being prepared to think differently. With plenty of humour, accessible text and imaginative illustrations, this is a particularly enjoyable adventure for newly independent readers who like their science with a generous helping of fantasy. £5.99 published January 2024 by Usborne.
Izzy the Inventor and the Teeny Tiny Ogres
Izzy’s latest invention is a tickle machine, but her preparations for an invention competition are interrupted when she discovers that a group of teeny-tiny ogres has escaped into her local park. Worse still, it is entirely her fault: she accidentally brought them back from Fairytale Land. Cue wolves chasing wizards, goblins tormenting fairies and complete magical mayhem. With Henry by her side, Izzy must find the runaway ogres and restore order before her invention competition begins. The story combines slapstick humour with a satisfying problem-solving quest, while Izzy’s predicament encourages readers to think about taking responsibility for our mistakes and finding practical solutions. A lively, accessible adventure with plenty to entertain young STEM enthusiasts. £5.99 published May 2024 by Usborne.
Izzy the Inventor and the Elf Inspectors
Izzy finds herself in trouble when she returns to Fairytale Land to help Henry win the Magic Competition using a little secret science. Unfortunately, her clever plan turns into a trap when the Elf Inspectors decide that Izzy is bringing far too much science into their magical world. With Fairytale Land facing permanent closure, Izzy must prove that science is not the enemy of magic while simultaneously helping the Little Mermaid escape from a sea witch. The adventure delivers another energetic mix of fantasy and scientific thinking, while subtly celebrating the value of questioning assumptions rather than accepting that two apparently different worlds cannot work together. It is an engaging story with a particularly strong message about the power of knowledge, creativity and thinking for ourselves. £5.99 published March 2025 by Usborne.
Izzy the Inventor and the Scary Fairy
Izzy has had enough of Bad Fairy Brenda, who has become so very bad that Izzy decides there must be a way to make her good again. Her solution sends her, her sister and Henry the Unicorn climbing a beanstalk into the Land of the Giants, where Izzy’s scientific skills face some of their most gloriously ridiculous challenges yet. Catapults, light experiments and a pair of giant flying underpants all have a role to play in this wonderfully playful adventure. Beneath the comedy, however, sits a thoughtful idea about whether people can change and how we might approach problems with curiosity rather than simply giving up on someone. Another highly entertaining instalment that makes STEM feel imaginative, accessible and fun. £5.99 published August 2025 by Usborne.
Izzy the Inventor and the Princess Plot
Izzy’s latest adventure begins with a school cooking competition and a disagreement with her sister, Bella, about the best way to construct a cake tower. Before the sibling squabble can be resolved, Henry arrives with extraordinary news: the top five fairytale princesses have been kidnapped. Izzy and Henry must head into Fairytale Land and use science to track them down, turning the adventure into another ingenious combination of investigation, invention and fantasy. Along the way, Izzy discovers that there may be more than one way to build the perfect cake tower and, more importantly, learns something about the strength of sisterhood. Funny, inventive and warmly character-driven, this latest adventure demonstrates exactly why the series works so well: big ideas are delivered through stories that children genuinely want to read. £5.99 published May 2026 by Usborne.
