From School Library JournalGrade 4-6–Be 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.–B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Library, Sag Harbor, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistGr. 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 WelchCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Cue the pretend drum-roll: Keats's parents have a big surprise. No, they're not having a new baby. It's -- wait for it, wait for it -- a family road trip! Okay, so this is not exactly the birthday present Keats had in mind (no iPod?!), but when Dad parks a rented RV in the Dalinger's driveway, Keats piles in with the rest of his family -- and the manny, of course -- bound for the open road. From the big skies of farm country to the bright lights of Las Vegas, this, in typical manny fabulousness, is an all-American adventure filled with more Glamour-dos than Glamour-don'ts. But a stopover at the manny's childhood home is making the manny feel not so fabulous. Why can't his parents ever accept him for who he is? And Keats, at first, sees their point. Why does the manny always have to be so interesting?Hit the road for more manny shenanigans, where it's all about Elton John, Diet Coke, and being brave enough to be yourself.

Review"This book not only portrays loving family relationships, but also shows how to deal with bullies through self-acceptance and an understanding of human nature. Whether readfor entertainment or for beginning a discussion on bullying, this book will find a wide audience." -- School Library Journal"The story is both warm and funny." -- Booklist"The Manny Files kicks Mary Poppins to the curb." -- New York Post"The Manny is an unbelievable mensch, always trying to find ways to amuse them. He puts notes in their lunch boxes. He helps the boy deal with the class bully and advises the girl on her boy problems." -- New York MagazineAbout the AuthorChristian Burch is a real-life manny, who derived much of his inspiration for this novel from his charges. A resident of Jackson, Wyoming, The Manny Files is his first novel. He shares his birthday with Adam Ant, Evgeni Plushenko, and Anna Wintour.

Manny /mane/ n A male nanny or babysitter, known to be handsome,fabulous, and a lover of eighties music "Be interesting." That's what the manny tells Keats Dalinger the first time he packs Keats's school lunch, but for Keats that's not always the easiest thing to do. Even though he's the only boy at home, it always feels like no one ever remembers him. His sisters are everywhere! Lulu is the smart one, India is the creative one, and Belly . . . well, Belly is the naked one. And the baby. School isn't much better. There, he's the shortest kid in the entire class. But now the manny is the Dalinger's new babysitter, and things are starting to look up. It seems as though the manny always knows the right thing to do. Not everyone likes the manny as much as Keats does, however. Lulu finds the manny embarrassing, and she's started to make a list of all the crazy things that he does, such as...

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