Ana and Harwin are best friends. They thought the fun would last forever, brewing fairy tea, playing horse doctor, crafting, and jumping on a trampoline. Then Harwin tells Ana her family is moving away and the two friends aren't sure how their friendship will measure up going forward. Their ability to chart their friendship through timelines, bar graphs, and everything in between tells the story of how they maneuver through memories, feelings, the passing of time until the day Harwin leaves, and ultimately how they plan to stay in touch.
On the surface Friends Beyond Measure shows a strong and sweet friendship. The way the story is told through plentiful details is interesting for kids to pore over, but next level for me to experience as an adult. I would like to know more about infographics in order to tell my work story at Madison Public Library. Maybe you need to know more about infographics, too. This picture book inspired and educated me - I'm pretty sure I've learned as much as a graduate level course would teach me.
Here's a sampling of the charts included:
- Venn Diagram
- Schematic Diagram
- Map
- Coordinate Chart
- Pictogram
- Timeline
- Line Chart
- Bar Chart
- Pies and Waffles and Stacked Bars
- Calendar
- Flow Chart or Organizational Chart
- Proportional Area Chart
Incorporating varying infographic styles into a story of friendship acknowledges the different way people process information. Ana has ADHD and Harwin is dyslexic. Their story reflects the way they relate to each other and information in a unique and surprising way.