I Like This Book. I Reckon Maybe.
Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe by Bette Green
Dear Saralinda:*
In 1974, it wasn't yet cliché to have a novel featuring a plucky, young heroine with only her spunk as a plot. It was even rarer for that plucky, young heroine to be black.
Even now, 30 years after Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. was first published, Bette Greene's story and her heroine continue to be appealing-even though there is no longer any shortage of intelligent girls in juvenile (or other) fiction.
The 136-page novel tells the story of a brief period in 6th-grader Beth Lambert's life. We follow her to school where she competes with Philip Hall. We watch appreciatively as she tackles the mystery of disappearing turkeys. We mourn for her as she discovers an allergy that bars her from keeping a beloved pet.
We watch the growing buds of a romance that at this age is expressed only as a friendship, but with all the uncertainties and tension of a relationship with greater potential.
As a novel, Philip Hall is what is often called a slice of life work. It is much more character-driven than plot driven. We share moments and events in Beth's life. The book borders on being a "coming of age" novel in that we see her grapple with whether she is going to suppress her natural talents and abilities to safeguard the affection of others or whether she will be herself no matter what.
The stories that illustrate this journey through a year of adolescence are often funny and always endearing. We get front row seats to Beth's emotions and worries. Greene gives us the perspective of an 11-year-old. I appreciate that while Beth is smart and courageous, Greene doesn't try to make her older or wiser than her years would suggest. Instead, we get to witness her growing pains.
Greene also uses a very comfortable vernacular for her characters. It does an effective job of placing the book in both a time period and in a rural setting. Greene handles it with sensitivity, never using it to degrade her characters or make them look foolish.
Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe met with a great deal of critical acclaim (as did Greene's other book, Summer of My German Soldier). It was a Newbery Honor Book, an ALA Notable Book and a New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year.
Greene grew up in a small town in Arkansas during the late 30s and early 40s. As a Jewish girl, she said that she understood what it was like to be different. We see that theme in Philip Hall Likes Me. Beth is different because she's smart and clever. She's different because she is highly competitive. It's something she has to come to terms with. She has to decide whether it is acceptable to win and what battles she needs to fight.
The book is a quick read and one that is filled with chuckles and outright laughter. I hope you enjoy it.
Love,
Aunt Bridgette
I'm reading and reviewing juvenile fiction in search of books that my niece would enjoy. With each book that I send her, I'm enclosing a letter sharing my experience with the book. After I strip out the strictly personal information that the letters contain, I'll post them here as reviews. After all, my goal in the letter is to encourage her to read the book and make her experience with it more enjoyable, perhaps I can do the same for you.
* I've changed my niece's name to protect her identity. Saralinda is a name I borrowed from another beloved children's book. She's the princess in James Thurber's The 13 Clocks.
