by Bette Greene
First published 1999
Beth Lambert sits in her sixth grade classroom watching Philip Hall ace another test. He's the cutest boy in school and the smartest too. Beth doesn't mind that he beats her at everything from math problems to foot races. She loves him, and seeing him succeed makes her happy. But then a troubling thought creeps in. What if Philip only wins because she lets him? Beth realizes she's been holding herself back, dimming her own light so his can shine brighter. This discovery changes everything. Beth Lambert never was one to stay in second place for long. She decides to stop pulling her punches and show Philip what she can really do. The question becomes whether Philip Hall will still like her when she starts beating him at his own game. Beth is about to find out if real friendship can survive when the balance of power shifts.
Genres: fiction, contemporary, young-adult
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Period: 20th-century
144 pages · Paperback · Puffin Books