FRIENDS BEYOND MEASURE

Charts, diagrams, and other visual aids map out a tight friendship.

Fisher adds occasional lines of narrative, but they’re hardly needed, as the graphics ingeniously incorporated into each illustration really tell the whole story—beginning with a Venn diagram showing that dark-skinned, dark-haired Ana (“me”) and blond-haired, light-skinned Harwin (“you”) may have differences aplenty (while Ana has ADHD, Harwin has dyslexia), but they share enough interests to spark a close and lasting bond. Later, a timeline traces hilarious Halloween experiences, proportionally sized circles allow instant comparisons between hours spent in various sorts of play, and, climactically, Ana literally flops on a bar chart of feelings ranging from “shock” (the highest and red) to a lower and neutral-colored “excitement for you” upon learning that Harwin is moving away. Attentive viewers will spot subtle signs of character development, too, such as Harwin’s absorption in a book in a later scene. “We will always be friends,” the narrator affirms in parting, and, surrounded by images of ways to stay in touch and share experiences long distance, perhaps they will. Last but not least, backmatter identifying the various infographics on view here and explaining how they can be used will tempt readers strongly to page back for closer looks. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A loving tale inventively and informatively told.