Phyllis

"Phyllis" by Maria Thompson Daviess is a story about growing up in a time gone by, focusing on Phyllis Forsythe, a rich girl whose life changes when she moves to the small town of Byrdsville. She feels alone because of her family's money and wants to be friends with the nice Roxanne Byrd, who seems to have everything Phyllis is missing. The story begins with Phyllis feeling lost and away from her city life because her mom isn't well. She doesn't fit in with the other kids, who don't really trust her because she's rich. Phyllis thinks a lot about how lonely she is and how much she likes Roxanne, whose family lives simply behind Phyllis' fancy house. When Phyllis starts spending time with Roxanne and her brother Lovelace, she starts to feel happy and make real friends, which makes her want to connect with people without worrying about money. This sets the stage for a story where Phyllis fights against what people think about her because she's rich and tries to find her place in the world.