Philip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe Explained

Philip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe is a children's novel written by Bette Greene that was awarded a Newbery Honor in 1975.^[1] The book was published in 1974 by The Dial Press. It is the first of three novels to feature protagonist Beth Lambert and her friend Philip Hall.^[2]

Plot

The book is set in rural Arkansas in the late 20th century. Eleven-year-old Beth Lambert is second-best at almost everything in school, from math to sports. She doesn't mind, though, because she's second only to Philip Hall. Over the course of the novel, she begins to grapple with the idea that perhaps she's letting Philip beat her so he'll remain her friend.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Philip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe . American Library Association . 12 November 2024.
2. News: Smith . Harrison . Bette Greene, novelist whose ‘Summer of My German Soldier’ became a young-adult hit, dies at 86 . 12 November 2024 . The Washington Post . 8 October 2020.
3. News: Byars . Betsy . Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. . 12 November 2024 . The New York Times . 8 December 1974.