Too frequently textbooks used in class are criticized heavily by educators. In and of itself, a textbook is neither good nor bad. If the text has been carefully chosen, there may be reasons for criticizing its use. Textbooks should always be carefully evaluated when new basals are chosen so that the very best one(s) are selected for a class. Committees need to be at work to make the final choices. Each prospective textbook needs thorough appraisal in terms of quality. Once a textbook is chosen, the teacher may use it as a guide. Within that framework, the teacher may choose a variety of learning opportunities for pupils to supplement content in the textbook. A multimedia approach should be used to provide for individual differences. A textbook should never be used with no other instructional materials. Teachers should use textbooks in a flexible manner, and they should be discouraged from saying they teach well due to not using a textbook. Quality instruction rests upon the uses made of textbooks by creative teachers and pupils in teaching and learning situations. (RS)