Beautifully Illustrated. A Newbery Honor Book, An ALA Notable Book and A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year. No one gets the better of Beth Lambert. Except, maybe, Philip Hall..Philip Hall is the cutest, smartest boy in the sixth grade, and Beth Lambert loves him. the fact that he beats her in classwork, sports, and just about everything else doesn't particularly bother Beth at first. then she realizes that Philip might be best in everything because she's letting him beat her. and coming out on top is just too natural a thing for Beth to hold back for very long! I reckon Philip Hall can't help liking spunky, expansive Beth...and you'll like her, too.

What do you do when you're not in first place anymore? Beth Lambert's got everything going for her—she's the best student in her grade, president of the Pretty Pennies Girls' Club, and winner of a major 4-H prize. She's sure all of her dreams will come true, and nothing will go wrong. But that was before Philip Hall became Number One again. Beth's got a lot to learn—but she'll do it in style!

Join the irrepressible Beth Lambert as she goes home after a long visit with her grandmother in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. Beth is happy to see her friends the Pretty Pennies, and even happier to see her family (and eat her mother's fried turkey, tamale pie, and floradora potatoes), but she might just be happiest of all to see her best friend, Philip Hall. But not for long, because Philip gets it into his head (with a little help from Beth) that she made a new friend in Walnut Ridge—a boyfriend. Now Philip won't rest until he meets this "nutty Walnutter" face-to-face in an arm-wrestling match in front of the whole town. There's only one problem—Beth's new friend doesn't exist. She made him up! Once again Beth's mouth has gotten her into trouble. And once again she'll have to do some fast talking to see if she can get herself out of it.