As Finn gets older he has become increasingly more interested in learning about everything the world has to offer, as most kids do. 
He loves the solar system, naming the different fruits and vegetables and counting to 100 and he adores singing along to the educational songs he seems comes across on YouTube ( and they tend to get stuck in my head too!) Aside from education, and for those kiddies who are at day care especially, it becomes really important at this age to learn about compassion, responsibility and co-operation with each other to make for a friendly and encouraging environment. Some children may already display these attributes and some might still be learning such things like how to share and in Finn’s case, that other people can be the leader too (he’s a bossy boots like mum!).
We were recently introduced to Busy Izzy and when I heard about the concept of it, I knew Finn would love it. Busy Izzy is a new educational entertainment series that follows a 12-year-old girl “Izzy” through her day as she displays co-operation, generosity and friendliness with her diverse group of friends. The series features a series of books assisted with upbeat music, healthy recipes and engaging YouTube videos for kid’s to dance along too (all of Finn’s favourite things). Finn is obsessed with reading so he loved the books. The sentences rhymed and were well-structured and simple, making them easier for Finn to understand and assisting him in the process of learning to read. The illustrations were bright and engaging and the stories also incorporated a lot of alliteration, counting and singing, keeping him entertained at all times. From reading through the books myself with Finn, I was really impressed with how positive the story-lines were and how they displayed important values like kindness and generosity.
The first book in the 10-part series is Busy Izzy and Friends and was assisted by the audio CD. While Finn is still learning to read, he thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audio and turning the pages when queued by the music. His little face lit up as he looked at the pictures and listened to the words and I felt this was a great way for him to learn to read through listening and enjoying the story. This book also had a section at the end filled with healthy recipes for the kids to make at home and a great opportunity to bond together in the kitchen! After that we read the newly launched book, Busy Izzy and Newly Truly, which focused on Izzy and her new puppy. It was a heart-warming story that included a trip to the SPCA and what soon become a friendship between a human and her pet. At the end it also had a section on how to understand your puppy, which is helpful for children who are getting used to new pets in the home. It also had a section of recipes for puppy treats at the back, which is a great way to encourage the kiddies to learn the responsibility of owning a pet.
After we read the books, we jumped on to YouTube and danced a long to the Busy Izzy videos. As it has only recently launched there are just a few videos, so we look forward to more coming soon! There is also a range of cute Busy Izzy merchandise including the lovely drink bottle pictured above.
I think Busy Izzy and Friends offers really positive reading for children who are just learning about emotions, values and responsibility. Finn enjoyed the books and listening to the music. The songs were catchy that even I was singing a long too. I think all children could benefit from these books and I think parents will enjoy listening to their kids read and learn such wonderful values that they can then portray in the real world. You can never have too many books and we can’t wait for the rest of the series! Enjoy.
Busy Izzy and Friends was created and written by renowned celebrity vocal coach Roxanne Kiely and illustrated by Jeesoo Kim and is targeted at children aged from three to eight years old.
https://www.youtube.com/c/Busyizzyandfriends
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We spoke to renowned celebrity vocal coach and award winning songwriter Roxanne Kiely, who created Busy Izzy - an educational entertainment series for young children."Educational" and "fun" are the selling points of "Busy Izzy and Friends", and this is exactly what it delivers. 
Told in a rhyming verse, kids will love the excitement and adventure the characters experience; whilst also informing them on a range of topics, from healthy eating to road safety.
The pages are filled with colourful illustrations that really pop against the white background, drawing in children's attention.
AUSTRALIAN writer Roxanne Kiely created Busy Izzy because she was so frustrated that only one in three children's books has a central female character...
