Visual fluency for the digital native
In a world of fast-moving news, unwavering digital exposure, and informational memes, kids (and adults) are bombarded with infographics. Presenting information in the form of images accompanied by minimal text, infographics convey an easily understood overview of a complex subject visually.
Infographics for Kids playfully instructs readers on how information can be arranged and presented in graphic format, inviting kids to add their own personal touches with fun consumable activity pages that introduce key communications skills for digital natives.
Martineau and Barker have created a wonderful classroom and at-home tool. Though the title is less than intriguing, a vibrant and colorful layout guides readers through infographics on a wide array of topics such as animals, biology, space, trees, and dinosaurs. The opening spread introduces readers to the concept with a simple text definition ("Infographics show us information using pictures, words, and numbers") accompanied by a few accessible examples that provide a visual definition of the look and function of infographics (e.g., flowcharts, diagrams, word clouds). Readers will be impressed with the information they can gather from this volume (for examples, humans can go 30 days without food but only seven without water). Later, activities on topics such as saving water and drawing the digestion process help to engage kids. A few of the subjects invite children to draw and color in the book itself, a flaw for libraries. Suitable for educators and parents in need of a bright introduction to infographics.
- School Library Journal
