That Always Happens Sometimes
by Kiley Frank; illus. by K-Fai Steele
Primary    Knopf    40 pp.
7/24    9781984852434    $18.99
Library ed.  9781984852441    $21.99
e-book ed.  9781984852458    $10.99

Max’s life can be more than a little hectic. Whether getting distracted and missing the bus, forgetting to do every item on various lists of important things, or careening across the playground like a whirlwind, the protagonist’s differently wired mind is always working overtime, which can lead to a lot of fun, or a lot of trouble—or sometimes both. When you’re someone like Max, “that always happens sometimes.” Then one day Max is assigned to a group project where each team competes to build the tallest index-card tower, and it becomes the perfect opportunity for Max’s creative mind to shine. Frank’s first-person narration makes apt use of run-on sentences packed with many clauses and sentence fragments to simulate the frenetic energy of racing thoughts that make constant connections and leaps. Steele’s watercolor and ink illustrations add to the zany vibe by depicting the characters’ googly eyes with exaggeratedly large whites and tiny beady pupils. The strategic use of visual elements such as the gutter, perspective, and speech bubbles with stylized text reinforces Max’s unique personality, perspective, and social relationships. A humorous and empathetic tribute to the neurodivergent kids out there who march to the beat of their own drums.

From the ">September/October 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.