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That Always Happens Sometimes

Author Kiley Frank

Illustrated by K-Fai Steele

Hardcover

$18.99 US

RH Childrens Books | Knopf Books for Young Readers

8.94"W x 11.29"H x 0.39"D | 15 oz | 24 per carton

On sale Jul 02, 2024 | 42 Pages | 9781984852434

Age 4-8 years | Preschool - 3

Reading Level: Lexile AD800L | Fountas & Pinnell M

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Children's > Fiction
Children's > Picture Books > More Picture Books...

Max is not exactly a perfect kid. From sunup through his school day and right until bedtime, he’s goofy, disorganized, and generally uncontainable—much to the frustration of those around him. But when a little enthusiasm and creativity are in order, you can count on Max to save the day!

A BOOKLIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Do you have a list of things to do every morning before school, but you get...distracted? Or maybe you're the only one with tennis balls on the feet of your chair and your teacher has to remind you to keep your sounds to yourself? Or maybe you like to listen to the way water sloshes in your stomach when you run down the hall, slo-mo, after the water fountain?

That always happens sometimes to Max in this warm, hilarious picture book that humorously chronicles the pitfalls and celebrates the successes of a very familiar kid...one who may not be the most compliant or organized but who is full of energy, creativity, and kindness.

★ "A deeply satisfying tale of a square peg who finds a way to triumph." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Relatable for kid readers, nicely nostalgic for adults, and all-around wonderful." —Booklist, starred review

★ "[A] delightful book guaranteed to bring on both laughs and greater understanding of the many Maxs in the world." —BookPage, starred review

"A heady moment for a memorable voice." —Publishers Weekly

"A humorous and empathetic tribute to the neurodivergent kids out there who march to the beat of their own drums." —The Horn Book

"An excellent book for exploring neurodiversity through an engaging story about one child’s everyday experiences." —School Library Journal

Kiley Frank is a a writer and freelance editor living in upstate New York. Her debut picture book, Tomorrow is Waiting, received many accolades. She worked in publishing for six years before leaving the NYC area. You can find her reading to her four children and coaching a battle of the books team for middle schoolers. View titles by Kiley Frank

K-FAI STEELE is the author-illustrator of A Normal Pig and All Eyes on Ozzy! and has illustrated several other books. She has a forthcoming graphic novel with Kokila. She was a James Marshall Fellow at the University of Connecticut, a Brown Handler Writer in Residence at the San Francisco Public Library, and an Ezra Jack Keats/Kerlan Memorial Fellow at the University of Minnesota. Born in Charlton, Massachusetts, K-Fai now lives in Stockholm, Sweden. View titles by K-Fai Steele

Educator Guide for That Always Happens Sometimes

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

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Educator Guide for That Always Happens Sometimes

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.