From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6โBe interesting. These words of advice to bashful third-grader Keats Dalinger come from the latest in a long line of nannies in this novel (Atheneum, 2006) by Christian Burch. While Keats, older sister India, and Mirabelle are fairly easy going, their oldest sister Lulu is a type-A personality who has managed to get rid of all the previous live-in female nannies. Matthew, the latest Manny, as he prefers to be called, is an unconventional, joyful, artistic, and insightful man. Lulu is not a fan of the Manny and starts compiling a list of all the silly things he does, called The Manny Files, with the ultimate purpose of getting him fired. With Manny's help, Keats learns to overcome his shyness, deal successfully with bullies, and speak up for what he believes in. Lulu ultimately realizes that Manny has some fine qualities. Older readers may catch the developing relationship between Manny and the Dalingers' Uncle Max. Their relationship is presented gently and is completely accepted by the children who see how happy Uncle Max is with the unique Manny. Narrator Daryl Anderson successfully conveys Manny's delightful silliness, Lulu's difficult personality, and Keats's growing sense of self. While there is nothing subtle about Manny, this story resounds with a number of important themes. It is refreshing to read about a family with a loving way of dealing with problems.โ B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Library, Sag Harbor, NY
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From Booklist
Gr. 6-9. The latest in a long string of nannies for the Dalinger family turns out to be a man (nameless until the very end), who makes creative lunches and wears costumes when seeing the kids off at the bus stop. Older sister Lulu, who records the manny's various endeavors in a notebook, is convinced that his peculiarities will oblige the kids to seek analysis when they're older. Main character Keats, on the other hand, is awestruck by the manny's many talents and quickly bonds with him, as do the other members of the family. Eventually, however, Lulu calls for a family trial, which puts the manny's future with the Dalingers in doubt. The story is both warm and funny. Keats' encounters with his teacher, Ms. Grant; the manny's mention of things he plans to do "next year" (being Sarah Jessica Parker's personal shopper); and the subtly presented but growing relationship between Matthew (the manny) and Keats' beloved uncle Max add both depth and delight to the family story. Cindy Welch
Copyright ยฉ American Library Association. All rights reserved