Flexible multilingual education: Putting children's needs first makes the argument that flexible multilingual educational (FME) policies may be better suited than those currently in place in many locations around the world. In making this argument, Weber problematizes commonly supported models in multilingual education, such as mother tongue education, standardized language education, and plural monolingualism. By drawing upon case study examples internationally, Weber is able to illustrate how no single model is able to best meet the needs of children in any location. Thus, Weber argues, what is best is a model of FME, which takes multilingualism as the norm and draws upon all of students' actual linguistic resources, including dialects and nonstandard varieties, while also giving them access to globally powerful standard varieties.

The book is divided into an introduction, followed by two parts, and ends with the conclusion. Part 1 focuses on larger theoretical and practical discussions of educational language policies, while Part 2 focuses on case studies taken from around the world. The introduction itself includes a wealth of information about various models of multilingual education, and the theories and principles behind them. This is an excellent reference chapter for anyone seeking to contrast the models or to understand them better.

Part 1 of the book is made up of three chapters. Chapter 2 discusses the issue of nonstandard language varieties in education and the frequent attempts to standardize minority languages and varieties. Weber explains the problems with such standardization policies by discussing cases such as Quechua, Breton, and Cypriot Greek. Chapter 3 considers issues of access; that is, what happens when not all applicable languages are available to all children in an educational system. Case study examples, illustrating success and/or failure, include French in Canada, Welsh, Te Reo Māori, and English in Malaysia. Finally, Chapter 4 looks at possible obstacles to setting up a FME policy and what one would actually look like. Examples of possible solutions and concerns for various locations are given, including Zimbabwe, India, France, Australia, and Japan.

Part 2 applies the discussion thus far to specific case studies. Each chapter ends with lessons learned, which contributes to the overall strength of Weber's argument for FME. Chapter 5 considers historical and contemporary policies and problems in the United States and reminds the reader that it is crucial to continuously ask what is best for the children. The rest of the chapters in Part 2 follow this same pattern, with chapter 6 looking at Hong Kong and China, chapter 7 examining Singapore, chapter 8 considering South Africa, chapter 9 exploring Luxembourg, and chapter 10 looking at three autonomous regions of Spain (Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Galicia). Finally, the conclusion revisits all issues presented thus far, and once more offers advice for those interested in implementing FME policies in their communities.

In sum, by juxtaposing arguments for FME with a problematization of other widely accepted policies, Weber contributes a well-researched body of evidence that would be of interest to advanced academics, educators, and policy-makers alike.