Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. by Bette Greene
"Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe." by Bette Greene is a coming-of-age novel that focuses on the intertwined lives of two sixth-graders, Beth Lambert and Philip Hall, set in a rural African American community in Pocahontas, Arkansas, during the 1950s. The narrative unfolds over seven chapters, each representing a season, capturing the dynamics of friendship, competition, and personal growth between Beth and Philip as they navigate school and their social environment. Beth grapples with her feelings for Philip, striving for academic excellence while dealing with the challenges posed by her crush, including the conflict it creates with her family and friends.
The story is infused with humor and lighthearted banter, as Beth and Philip engage in friendly rivalries through their respective clubs—the Pretty Pennies and the Tiger Hunters. While much of the novel is playful, it also touches on more serious themes, such as community dynamics and the innocence of childhood. Greene's use of a first-person narrative, incorporating a mixture of Southern dialect and Black English, highlights the cultural context of the time. Ultimately, the book conveys universal truths about friendship and acceptance, making it relevant beyond its historical setting. The conclusion offers a heartwarming resolution, marking Beth’s journey toward self-acceptance and the value of her relationships.
Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. by Bette Greene
First published: 1974; illustrated
Subjects: Animals, education, friendship, and gender roles
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Domestic realism
Time of work: The early 1950’s
Recommended Ages: 10-13
Locale: Pocahontas, Arkansas
Principal Characters:
Elizabeth (Beth) Lorraine Lambert , an eleven-year-old African American girl with a spunky personality who is possessed by affection for her class rival, Philip HallPhilip Hall , the cutest boy in the sixth-grade class at J. T. Williams SchoolMa Lambert , andPa Lambert , Beth’s parents, who live on a farm, where they sell pigs and turkeys and grow fruits and vegetablesAnnie , Beth’s sister, who thinks that Beth should be a farmer’s wife or a teacher, rather than becoming a veterinarianThe Cooks , a family that steals livestock and the Lamberts’ turkeysCyrus J. Putterman , Pocahontas’ leading merchant, who is willing to sacrifice his morals for moneyMiss Johnson , the schoolteacher
Form and Content
From September to September, the seven chapters of Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe., divide the seasons and the year into a story of the growing relationship between two sixth-graders. Beth Lambert and the most handsome boy in school, Philip Hall, vie for leadership and academic excellence. Beth realizes early in the year that Philip wins because she lets him. It is her Pa who reminds her that she need not be the second-best arithmetic solver, the second-best speller, and the second-best reader at the J. T. Williams School. Beth’s crush on Philip gets her into trouble with her family, her friends, and herself.
Beth persuades her friends and herself that Philip will invite her and the other girls to his birthday party because she is Philip’s best friend. After completing her own chores at the farm, she helps Philip brush down the cows at his farm. Philip does not send her an invitation to his birthday party, however, because he is afraid of being called a sissy. Beth accuses Phil of being a “fraidy cat” because he avoids her. This nickname takes on a humorous twist because Philip, his friend Gordon, and other boys belong to the club known as the Tiger Hunters, who are not afraid of tigers; in rural Arkansas, not a single soul has ever seen a tiger. In like manner, Beth has her own club, known as the Pretty Pennies, who attempt to outrace the Tiger Hunters, while their most noble efforts are used to picket the Busy Bee store and its owner, Mr. Putterman, for selling bad merchandise. Both clubs compete during the Old Rugged Cross Church Picnic, with the losers becoming slaves to the other group for an entire week.
Lighthearted fun, preadolescent banter, and nonserious conflicts keep the novel moving toward an obvious conclusion whereby the protagonists do become friends, warm to the idea of accepting the opposite sex, and continue to achieve together as partners. One episode that is not so lighthearted, however, occurs in December, when Pa’s turkeys begin to disappear mysteriously. The adults are seemingly helpless, while Beth and Philip catch two thieves as they arrive by automobile in the dark of night, the youngsters waiting with Philip’s pop gun in the branches of a tree.
Bette Greene uses the character of Beth to narrate this story of life in the African American community in Pocahontas, Arkansas, during a time when life was simpler. People went into town for shopping and socializing, young girls did embroidery, and church suppers, the county fair, square dancing, and letters to the Answer Man were a way of life. This first-person narrative appears to contain a hybrid mixture of Southern dialect and black English. Greene’s effort to appeal to all children, however, may mean that something is lost in authenticity.
Critical Context
Understanding the life of an African American sixth-grade girl growing up in Arkansas in the 1950’s provides a complement to a social studies unit on communities, the South, or black history. Racial understanding should not be confined to one month in February, Black History Month, and Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe., is appropriate for reading and study anytime. Its themes go beyond the color line to universal truths about friendship, affection, and achievements. A special aspect of the book is the humor, fun, and relaxed life in a small town. For some, this is a remembered experience of the past, but for others who reside in similar communities today, the story will be timely. Words by Heart (1979), by Ouida Sebestyen, also offers a female student bent on success; this book takes place during the early twentieth century and includes violence toward black people.
Bette Greene’s sequel, Get on out of Here, Philip Hall (1981), continues the story of this duo in a cheerful and adventurous style. For a more serious example of Greene’s work, Summer of My German Soldier explores history, tolerance, and acceptance. In Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe., and in all of Greene’s writing, the protagonist becomes a person of value, which is a worthy message for all readers. When Philip finally says, “Sometimes I reckon I likes you, Beth Lambert,” a sense of closure has been reached for the main character and for the novel.