Dear Hank Williams

February 23, 2015
When Tate Ellerbee’s teacher tells her class to think about who they might choose for a pen pal assignment, the 11-year-old immediately knows who she will write to: Hank Williams, an up-and-coming country singer she and her guardians, Aunt Patty Cake and Uncle Jolly, listen to each week on a Saturday night radio show, Louisiana Hayride. In letters written over the course of the 1948–49 school year, Tate unspools her life story to Hank, first sharing the lies she’s been telling herself, then reversing course with one hard truth after another. The last big reveal doesn’t quite pack the emotional wallop it might, but Tate is a very entertaining letter writer, and Holt (the Piper Reed series) salts her letters with just enough detail about post-WWII America to make this more than just a story about a girl coming to terms with the bad hand she’s been dealt. A redemptive ending helps redress the balance of a mostly tragic story told in a folksy voice. Ages 9–12. Agent: Amy Berkower, Writers House.

February 15, 2015
Tate has gumption, and it's a good thing: She's the only one who has faith in her ability to sing-except for her little brother, Frog, and everyone seems surprised whenever Tate mentions him. Tate explains all this and more in her pen-pal letters to Hank Williams. Her teacher has arranged an exchange of letters with Japanese students, but it's too soon after World War II for Tate's comfort; besides, she and Hank have singing in common. Sassy and observant, Tate also tells him how her parents travel while she lives in a house by a cemetery with her aunt, uncle and Frog. She helps Aunt Patty Cake sell cosmetics-except in Pine Bend where colored folks live, but her aunt won't explain why this is. Writing proves therapeutic, and Tate begins to revise half-truths: She has no idea where her father is, and Momma is in jail. And Tate almost gives up the idea of the talent contest she's had her heart set on entering when her new dog, Lovie, goes missing: She's too sad to sing. It's while searching for Lovie in the cemetery that Tate faces, finally, the lie she's been telling herself about her most sorrowful loss. Real to the period and place, subtle and gently paced, Tate's story is heartbreaking but hopeful; when she sings, Tate remembers the good times. Soulful and satisfying. (Historical fiction. 8-12)

Starred review from March 1, 2015

Gr 4-7-The year is 1948, and Tate P. Ellerbee is writing to her favorite singer, Hank Williams, as part of a pen pal assignment at school. Although her letter writing is one-sided, Tate continues to send Hank details of her life. She tells Hank about her actress mother and famous photographer father. Tate lives with her Aunt Patty Cake, who she describes as being like the sun because no matter what happens, she's always there. Her Uncle Jolly is the comic relief, as he has one heartbreak after another in his pursuit of a wife. Holt skillfully uses foreshadowing and the element of surprise in a twist ending. Included are some glimpses into the anti- Japanese and anti-communist feelings after the war. The author also highlights the Louisiana Hayride and Grand Ole Opry shows broadcast on radios throughout the country during that time period. The strength of this novel lies in the insight Tate develops as she deals with tragedy and depends on the love of family. VERDICT Artfully told, this middle grade novel pleases on many levels.-D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2015
Grades 3-5 When 11-year-old Tate P. Ellerbee is told by her teacher to write to someone outside of her hometown of Rippling Creek, Louisiana, she knows exactly who her pen pal will be: Hank Williams. Told exclusively through her letters to the singer, Tate's voice as a unique and imaginative young girl comes through crystal clear. Living with her aunt Patty Cake and uncle Jolly, Tate writes of her absent parents, the trials of having a pest for a younger brother, and her dreams of being a singer like her mama. National Book Award winner Holt (When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, 1999) deftly turns back the clock to 1948, outfitting Tate's world with accessibly vintage details: physical letters, radio programs, records, and singers from a bygone era. Larger issues relating to segregation and post-WWII prejudices cast shadows over the story and see further discussion in the author's note. A heartbreaking revelation at the book's end secures Tate's place as a lovable protagonist, while opening the door to a hopeful future.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)