Philip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe

Beth Lambert #1

by Bette Greene

Eleven-year-old Beth thinks that Philip Hall likes her, but their on-again, off-again relationship sometimes makes her wonder.

Genres: Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Juvenile

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Bette Greene’s award-winning classic novels will be celebrating 40 years in print!

As an award-winning author, screenwriter and news reporter, Bette Greene is read worldwide in over 16 languages. Bette continues her legacy of writing and speaking for the victimized. Within the heartbeat of her storytelling and the realism of her prose lies Bette’s demand that her readers feel what she feels and sees what she sees, taking us beyond our differences.

As the 20th century’s youngest professional news reporter, Bette published her first news story at age eight. Bette Greene’s first book, “Summer of My German Soldier”, won the first “Golden Kite” award. This same novel outsold Prince Charles’ book in his own country.

Bette Greene holds the honor of being the only author included in “Writers of Holocaust Literature”, without having been a victim of the Holocaust.

As a 21st century master author, Bette Greene uses the social media platforms to reach out and touch her readers, Generation - X, Y and Z. According to critics, Bette Greene has given a voice to the voiceless, changing the course of young adults’ literature in America.

For nearly 40 years, Bette Greene’s books have been banned, censored and challenged. The theme of Bette Greene’s award-winning library is always the same - Bullying!

Reviews

[The Dusty Jacket · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a few things that Elizabeth “Beth” Lorraine Lambert cannot stand: being cheated, allergies, being told she can’t do something because she’s a girl, and giving that low-down dumb bum of a polecat Philip Hall the satisfaction of beating her at anything. Truth be told, Beth is smart—really, really smart—but when it comes to Philip Hall, she can be kind of a dumb bum, too. But Philip is the cutest boy at J. T. Williams School and with that dimpled smile...does it really hurt if Beth lets him win at a few things every now and then?

Haven’t most of us, at one time or another, happily played the part of “chump” when it comes to being noticed or liked by someone that we felt was a bit out of our league? Whether that someone was too good looking, too popular, too smart, too athletic, or just too…well…too. For one reason or another, we sacrifice self-respect for the opportunity to just be around that person. Well, our young Beth Lambert is no different, but the good news is, she knows it and better still, she realizes that the long-term rewards that come with being yourself greatly outweigh the temporary benefits of being around someone who’s not even seeing the real you, but rather a lesser, compromised version of you.

I’m always drawn to books that feature plucky female protagonists: Anne Shirley ("Anne of Green Gables"), Dovey Coe ("Dovey Coe"), Fern Arable ("Charlotte’s Web") and Francie Nolan ("A Tree Grows in Brooklyn") are just a few of my favorites. Girls and young ladies who have a mind of their own and will not yield to societal norms or expectations. They prove to be intelligent, loyal, resilient, principled, and brave. Beth Lambert is one such girl who not only stands up to turkey thieves and an unscrupulous store owner, but also to her own insecurities that tell her that she has to be inferior in order to gain and keep a friendship. Lucky for us, she realizes the error of her ways and evolves into the kind of young lady that she was meant to be.

Bette Greene shows us the power of believing in ourselves and the gift that comes when someone we respect and admire has faith in us. Beth received such support from her doctor and the few words of encouragement that he offered her allowed Beth to see the possibilities that awaited her and to explore the opportunities that she thought were well out of her reach. I enjoyed "Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe." and cheered as our Beth evolved from being a pleaser to an assertive and confident girl that anyone would fall in love with. Even a low-down dumb bum of a polecat like Philip Hall.

[Julianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
Even though Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. was a Newbery Honor Book back in 1975 (when I was a kid), for some reason, I had never heard of it until recently. I probably never would have found it on my own if I hadn't been introduced to Bette Greene through her wonderful young adult novel, Summer of My German Soldier. After reading that and its sequel I decided to check out Ms. Greene's other works. I'm so glad I did, because my exploration led me to this wonderful little gem of a children's book. It is a very light-hearted story that is quite different in tone from Ms. Green's young adult books, and in my opinion, showcases her versatility as an author.

Beth Lambert, the main protagonist and first-person narrator of the story, is cute as a button, smart as a whip with lots of imagination, spunky, determined, and oh, so funny. She had me almost constantly chuckling, if not laughing out loud through the entire book. I just loved reading about all of her adventures, or misadventures, as the case may be. The main focus of Beth's narration is her relationship with her best friend, Philip Hall, “the cutest boy in school.” I was positively tickled by how Philip goes from being “the sweetest boy ever,” to doing or saying something dumb which turns him into, “a dirty, rotten polecat.” Then does or says something nice that gets him back in Beth's good graces. These two also have a friendly rivalry going, each trying to one up the other to be the best or smartest at everything, as well as a bit of a battle of the sexes. It was like reading a love/hate romance between two twelve-year-olds, and it was absolutely adorable and hilarious. However, interspersed between their intellectual and verbal duels are some very sweet, tender moments that are full of heart.

There are lots of other characters too, including Beth's family who are very loving and supportive, her girl's club, The Pretty Pennies, and Philip's boy's club, The Tiger Hunters. Whether she was trying to catch turkey thieves, getting a new puppy only to find out she's allergic to it, standing up for what's right, rescuing Philip from the mountain, or raising a calf for 4-H, Beth was always in fine form. Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. was a fast-paced and throughly fun read. It had just one mild profanity and other than that was a completely “clean” book that I would highly recommend to kids, parents, teachers or anyone who likes to read a good children's story. Although there doesn't appear to be an official series designation, Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. is the first of three books about Beth and Philip. The other two are Get on out of Here, Philip Hall and I've Already Forgotten Your Name, Philip Hall!. With yet another winner, Bette Greene is solidifying her place on my favorite authors list, and I can't wait to read the other two books in the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mother has an autographed copy of this book that she got from an ALA conference in the '70s. When I was a little kid, I would always pull it from the shelves, look at the inscription, and put it back. I never actually thought about reading it. I was too intimidated by the shiny silver medal on the front cover. The thick, buttery pages seemed to say, "For adults only."

Finally, when I was about 12, I took the copy of Philip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe off the shelf again. It was summer, and I was finally allowed to skip the various day camps that normally filled my time. I was grown-up enough to spend the days by myself, just me and the dog. I watched a lot of television, but I quickly got bored of that. I had read through all of the books on my shelves, so I went back to my mother's book collection and read this.

I remember being really surprised that it was a children's book. It was EASY! I thought it was some "grown-up" novel. And I also remember being surprised that I liked it. A lot.

I don't remember all of the plot points, but I do remember certain transcendent moments. Philip Hall seemed like such a perfect character... but I cheered when Beth realized that she was limiting herself due to her feelings for Philip. I may be 25 years old, but I still catch myself settling for second best at times, just to help out others. Beth's lesson is still an important one to remember.

[Alexa SOF2014]

This novel takes place in Pocahontas, Arkansas. The main protagonist is Elizabeth Lambert (Beth). She is in the sixth grade. She has a deep crush on one of her classmates, Philip Hall. Of course, Philip is not yet interested in girls. Elizabeth will do anything to make him like her such as letting Philip be the best student in the class. Beth had great perseverance. She never gave up on anything. Beth was not a jealous person. But, Philip was jealous of Beth when she finally beat him at the end of the novel.

I could totally identify with many of the experiences in this book. Almoat every girl has had a special crush on a boy. I found reading this book very humorous. I loved the part of the book when Beth and Philip catch turkey thieves. I also enjoyed the illustration of her Mama and Papa in the "Case of the missing turkey". Papa's expression was priceless.

I would give this book 5 stars. I had read this book once in the 5th grade. I now got much more out of it in the eighth grade. I loved the rivalry between the two main characters. They still stayed close friends. I also loved Beth's common sense. This book brings to mind the chase between girls and boys. Girls always become interested in boys long before boys are ready. Philip is a typical adolescent boy who ignores Beth in front of his male friends.

[Dee Dee G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be adding Low-down Pole Cat to my vocabulary lol. Beth is a little firecracker.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was set In Pocahontas, AR. Cute little story! Copy in my Hs library.

[bella (laurie's version) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was... bad. I didn't like the writing style, first of all, because it was hard to understand. I had to reread most sentences to comprehend.

I had to read this for school. So naturally, I really didn't want to.

Each chapter was kind of like a different story each time, and I hate when authors do that. This author didn't even connect them all like how you're supposed to. This book was basically a compilation of different books but with the same characters.

This was bad.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in one of the “little free libraries” that I pass on my walks. I was not going to get it, but my daughter said I should and assured me that I would enjoy it. As I always obey her, I did. And I was so glad I had, because it was utterly charming. The heroine, Elizabeth Lambert, is a delight — a smart, courageous, capable, and kind girl.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another Newbery Honor book that I both listened to and read. It is the story of a young girl on a turkey/pig farm who has a neighbor (Philip Hall) from a dairy farm. The two can't really figure out if they like each other as they compete in various activities.

[L Y N N · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book! I am anxious to read the other two!

Beth Lambert is very brave, courageous, and driven! She held two turkey thieves with only a BB gun, rescued her best friend, and is a "vegerinarian" in the making! LOL

[Ann]

(From the dusty shelf)

I was really unnerved by the Black dialect, written by a white author. With so many other books waiting to be read, I just decided to skip this one.

[Gale · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Even Growing Up Is a Competition”

Pocahontas, Arkansas in the 70’s was an interesting place for kids to grow up, as readers are treated to a year in the life of 11-year old Beth Lambert. Middle girl in a modest black family this spunky gal considers herself no one’s inferior—not even her neighbor, Mr. Everything, Philip Hall. President of the 4-H club and nonchalant about being top dog in their class, Philip cons admiring Beth into doing his chores on his father’s dairy farm. So how long will she permit him to undervalue her intelligence, her innate abilities, and her keen feelings for him?

Beth faces many challenges this year as President of the Pretty Pennies, a girls group perhaps formed in response to the supposedly brave Tiger Hunters. Not that the town is ever threatened by actual tigers, you understand, but well, there is always the chance that the wild Gorilla Man may be on the prowl again. This plucky girl reveals plenty of smarts and verbal bravado—which sometimes gets her into hot water. When there is need—and even when there isn’t--she plunges boldly into many challenges: unmasking turkey thieves, retail fraud, running a produce stand, being lost on a mountain, relays races to prove a sexist point, and a serious calf-raising contest. Life is never dull when Beth is around, but how can she ever get that one Tiger Hunter, whom she loves to hate, to like her—and actually admit it? Lite, fun reading for middle schoolers of all ages.

(7/28/2010. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)

[Josie Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I read this book...I must have been about nine or ten...but I remember liking it so much that I had to get the sequel (Get On Out of Here, Philip Hall) because I wasn’t quite ready to put these characters back on the dusty bookshelf. I read them again and again and again.

I liked the book because it transported me to rural Arkansas, which was not a place I was particularly anxious to visit in real life, but it reminded me of the stories my father told me about his childhood, growing up in the rural southern part of the United States (he raised pigs, too!).

I loved the fact that the protagonist, Beth Lambert, was a smart, funny, go-getter of a girl who learns that you don't have to dumb yourself down for a boy to like you. I liked the first crush aspect of the story. And I liked the fact that the characters used words like "reckon." No one I knew in California (not even my dad) said "reckon."

Well, it's been years since I've taken Beth or Philip off the shelf (I don't even own a copy of the book/the one I read was from the trusty public library), but I've never forgotten them. They live on in my mind and in the minds of countless children (some who are now adults) who've enjoyed their story over the years, which is testament to the enduring quality of this book.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story reads like a collection of short stories, that I found enjoyable. Beth is growing up on a farm in Arkansas. I found it relatively free of problematic elements that I've found in most 50 year old Newberry books. Not an own voices author, however.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just okay for me. I don't know if I can explain it more than that. It starts off just jumping straight into these characters' lives, which didn't work for me. I needed more time to get to know them!

[Mrs Tupac · Rating 5 out of 5]

another grade school fave

[LaDonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the first books that sparked my love of reading. I saw myself in Beth Lambert.

I was happy to share this book with my daughter and hope it inspires her as well.

[Marty Monforte · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe" is a well written fictional novel for young people and anyone who likes a good story set in a small community with likeable characters and good practical lessons.

The book's protagonist is Beth Lambert, a young person, who is a high achiever who has a friendship with Philip Hall. Beth wonders if Philip likes her because she lets him be the best at everything. She wonders if he will still like her if she can accomplish more than him. This basic question forms the backdrop to the story. The book has different adventures that feature competitions between Beth and Philip. The book also features different opportunities for Beth and Philip to work together as a team in order to accomplish something good.

Beth Lambert grows emotionally during the course of the novel. She becomes stronger, more confident and wiser as the novel progresses. Philip Hall also grows and develops into a stronger character.

The themes of friendship; team work; self confidence; courage and personal growth are developed. The different adventures that Beth and Philip are involved in make the book interesting and memorable. Beth is a likeable protagonist who helps Philip to develop.

The book takes place in a small town which has a town store; a church; a school; and different homes that have farms. The story is told from the first person point of view, as Beth Lambert narrates the stories and describes the action, setting and other characters.

The mood of the novel expresses excitement and hope. The reader is able to conclude positive thoughts about the characters, plot, setting and subject matter. The mood of the novel is uplifting and inspirational. The story is set in Pocahantas, Arkansas.

The novel is well organized and written. It keeps the reader's attention and sustains the reader's interest. I would recommend this novel for elementary students, middle school students and young people who like to read. I would also recommend this novel for parents who want to read their son or daughter or teachers who want to read to their students.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

On the one hand, this book had a fun, interesting, fleshed out, engaging protagonist with slice-of-life adventures that draw you in. On the other hand, this protagonist spends the book coddling and managing all of the emotions of a neighbor-boy who may or may not like her (does that matter? It does for the story, but probably not for my very mixed feelings). And somehow she assumes all responsibility for helping him function emotionally and inter-personally in the world with no real acknowledgment by the adults in her life that maybe this isn’t a healthy situation for a young girl (there is some implied acknowledgment of this in her mother’s actions, but nothing explicit — more like peripheral tsking). That struck me as… frustrating? Not a great center for the story to circle around? Sending a weird, if not potentially damaging, message for girls and boys alike?

Perhaps I read this at an odd time for me and the world and I would feel differently if I read it in another time and place.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not read this book when it was published, and I did not read it during my 30 years in elementary classrooms. I read it only after I had been retired more than 20 years and the book was then 50 years old. It does hold up. The issues are ones that transcend time. The age-old attitude, even now, that if girls are better at something than a boy, the boy can't stand being bested by a girl. Basically, that is the theme of this book as the protagonists, Beth and her friend, classmate, and neighbor, Philip run a garden stand together, attend 4-H together, go to classes together, have disagreements and finally navigate themselves into friendship. It ain't easy for either one of them. Though it ends on a moment of friendship, the book leaves room for the reader to imagine Philip and Beth will have to revisit their issues perhaps many times in the future.

[Sue.the.very.busy.reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe by Bette Greene, Beth Lambert is always taking second place to Philip Hall the cutest boy in her class. But is he really smarter and faster than her or is she afraid to beat him. What if she beats him at something will he still like her? Beth has to find her own inner strength and confidence to let her light shine through because like ma says, “It being you, you couldn’t hardly do nothing but what you did do …..your best.”

This is a great story of friendship and courage. Growing up is hard but when you have friends to count on life is easier. This book is a great example for kids to see how to work together and support one another.

[Bernadette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anna Bragdon's question about this book was: Did it age well? The short answer is: not particularly.
While this book features a cute grade school friendship, its story-telling mode and language are decidedly outdated. I am not sure a young reader today need to be exposed to words he won't you again until reading novels in high school. I am also not sure about the episodic feel of chapter. The theme that is supposed to pull the chapter together I guess is the romance, but again, they are in grade school and nothing even remotely untoward happens. I also got bored 3 times in the two hours it took me to read this.

[Amber Scaife · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beth has a crush on Philip Hall, a boy in her 6th grade class. She fluctuates between being confident that he likes her, too (he does let her come over and do his chores for him (ugh)), and being not so certain, especially when he gets annoyed when she proves more successful at certain things. She works her way toward a realization that her self-worth means more than what a boy thinks of her.
I suspect that this one can be inspiring for young girls, but I was irritated with Philip from the beginning and exasperated with Beth for not realizing how amazing she is much earlier.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is easy to appreciate Beth Lambert. The accounts of her childhood in rural Arkansas are humorous and relatable as she attempts to discover what true friends are and how to attain her future goals, both of which greatly involve Philip Hall. I loved the no-nonsense approach of Beth's parents, who allowed her to opportunity to figure out solutions to her problems and commended her successes. They helped her realize the advantages that result in excelling in school, working hard to earn her own money, and finding resolutions to conflicts.

[Shella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book and protagonist grew on me. It is not really a plot with a central conflict. The protagonist grows in her confidence through a variety of experiences. The theme is great and she portrays a very strong female protagonist. What I really appreciated is that she found "girl power" without condemning or hating on other people to feel empowered. I really liked the T-shirt section. "Reckon" is a word I will always associate with this book. The audio version has an excellent interview with the author.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found a used copy of this book recently and remembered reading it as a kid so I took it home to re-read. It was enjoyable and funny, though I didn’t love it quite in the same way I thought I would - Beth is a little too conceited for me to truly enjoy; however, I appreciate the look on the lives of people not represented in literature enough.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oops. Read over a month ago for group.

I remember that it was mostly fun, which is refreshing in historical fiction, esp. that focused on such topics as "The Black Experience" etc. I especially like how Beth and her father dealt with the turkey thieves. And as for the main theme, I hope girls don't play dumb to let boys that they're interested in feel superior anymore.

[Catwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children's literature, chapter book. - ©1974, winner of the Newbery Honor book for 1975
Reading level 6th grade, interest level 5th grade+
Beth and Philip are in the same class, the top two students in class so there's a lot of competition between them, plus Beth has a crush on Philip, and the feeling is mutual. A delightful story.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up for sheer childhood delight. Did Beth need to ditch Philip Hall? Yes. But other than that this is a delightful read. It's a story of children getting into shenanigans and getting themselves out of them. There's adventure, there's a touch of feminism, there's playground love, and there is great friendship.

[Marita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightful and enjoyable Newberry Honor book with a worthy message. Young girls (or any age girl) should not be ashamed or apologize or downplay their particular strengths. I plan on having my daughter read this soon.