Synopsis
Manny /ma-ne/ 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' 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 serenading the kids with "La Cucaracha" from the front yard or wearing underwear on his head or meeting the school bus with Belly, dressed as limo drivers. Keats is worried. What if Lulu's "Manny Files" makes his parents fire the manny? Who will teach him how to be interesting then?
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Reviews
Grade 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
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