The schoolbook has assumed since a long time, a main role in the Portuguese education system, often despising other tools, what to say, different knowledge and its acquisition. For its active and powerful presence, its influence through their contents and teacher’s action, it has become crucial in the context of the classroom, both in presence and in absence. Through this article and following previous empirical research, either in doctoral seat, either by the production of textbooks, one anti-dogmatic view on the use of the schoolbook arises, producing a picture that should remain between certainties and uncertainties. Reflect on textbook, on its construction and production, on its use will be the same as trying to understand the legitimacy of the other, giving it a very special place in the entire educational context, not on which teaches or transmits, but which promotes and releases necessary for the emulation of creativity condition. This, it is decided by the link to the reality of the students, but, immediately, the abuser nature of the textbook as a single book and the only book in the classroom, to prevent as reality construction, complex and articulated. Throughout this analysis, it seems that the schoolbook has difficulty opening holes for clearance to the good pleasure of the scientific spirit, whatever subject is. How to reference this article Costa, F. J. M. da (2015). Manual escolar: que o presente quer persistir em oferecer ao futuro. Espacio, Tiempo y Educación, 2(1), pp. 25-40. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14516/ete.2015.002.001.003