That Always Happens Sometimes

Illustrated by K-Fai Steele
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$18.99 US
RH Childrens Books | Knopf Books for Young Readers
24 per carton
On sale Jul 02, 2024 | 9781984852434
Age 4-8 years
Reading Level: Lexile AD800L | Fountas & Pinnell M
Sales rights: World

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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.
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★ "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

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.)

About

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.

Photos

additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo

Praise

★ "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

Guides

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.)