That Always Happens Sometimes
by Kiley Frank (Author) K-Fai Steele (Illustrator)
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!
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.
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Kirkus
A deeply satisfying tale of a square peg who finds a way to triumph.
Publishers Weekly
For Max, the kid who narrates this story by Frank (Tomorrow Is Waiting), school mornings slide off track when distractions, like squirrels outside the window, fly in the face of a get-ready list. Per the title, it's the kind of event "that always, always happens sometimes." Max's classroom to-do list ("keep hands to myself") is often forgotten, and tennis balls quiet the feet of only Max's chair ("I used to get in trouble for the sounds my chair makes, but now I only get in trouble for the sounds that I make"). Engaging questions hint at the child's internality: "Have you ever abandoned your lunch because you were thinking about having an extra face under your hair like some Lego figures do?" In watercolor, ink, and pencil drawings with bold black lines, Steele (The Brilliant Ms. Bangle) includes lots of boisterous detail as Max's teacher asks small groups of students, portrayed with various skin tones, to build a tower with "index cards, a twenty-four-inch piece of masking tape, and a pair of safety scissors." It's, at last, something that "has never happened before," and Max's creativity results in a classroom triumph--and a heady moment for a memorable voice. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Miriam Altshuler, DeFiore and Company. Illustrator's agent: Erica Rand Silverman, Stimola Literary. (July)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Review quotes
JUV039200 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Manners & Etiquette
