It's 1948 in Rippling Creek, Louisiana, and Tate P. Ellerbee's new teacher has just given her class an assignment--learning the art of letter-writing. Luckily, Tate has the perfect pen pal in mind: Hank Williams, a country music singer whose star has just begun to rise. Tate and her great-aunt and -uncle listen to him on the radio every Saturday night, and Tate just knows that she and Hank are kindred spirits.
Told entirely through Tate's hopeful letters, this beautifully drawn novel from National Book Award-winning author Kimberly Willis Holt gradually unfolds a story of family love, overcoming tragedy, and an insightful girl learning to find her voice.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
A Heart-Warming Story That is a Pleasure to Read ...
By delicateflower152
A heart-warming story and an appealing protagonist make “Dear Hank Williams” a pleasure to read. To build the novel, Kimberly Willis Holt uses a compilation of ongoing, unanswered letters written by Tate P. Ellerbe, as part of a school pen-pal assignment, to the rising country star Hank Williams.Tate lives on Canton Cemetery Road across from the cemetery with her Aunt Patty Cake, who sells Delightfully Devine Beauty Products, and Uncle Jolly, Aunt Patty Cake’s younger brother. As Tate relates her life story to Hank Williams, she tells him her father is a world-famous photographer and her mother is “…in the picture-show business ... “ Because the producers do not want their ideas “stolen”, her mother must keep the film’s subject and location secret. Tate’s brother, Frog is “the biggest eight-year old pest in Rapides Parish …” As Tate’s letters progress, the reader learns more and more of her life and her family’s circumstances. The final letters will both surprise and sadden you as you discover Tate’s complete story.Kimberly Holt Willis has created extremely appealing, endearing characters. At first, the reader sees Tate P. Ellerbe as being an innocent, naïve child. However, as the story moves forward, one begins to view Tate as an optimist who sees life as full of possibilities. “…I don’t understand folks that could have a happy-ever-after ending, but have no gumption to try…” She is also someone who sets a goal for herself – singing in the Rippling Creek May Festival Talent Contest – and will not be discouraged from achieving that goal. “…just because some folks don’t believe in me doesn’t mean I should stop believing in myself …” Aunt Patty Cake, like so many women of years past, raised her siblings following the deaths of their parents. She put her own life on hold for their sake and, as a result, others viewed her as being someone who was strict and not particularly fun.Set in Rippling Creek, Louisiana in 1948, Tate’s letters in “Dear Hank Williams” capture the post-World War II attitudes of the citizenry toward Japan and Communism. One boy’s comment reflects the attitude of many Americans following World War II “…My daddy said you’re a Red communist if you choose to write anyone from Japan …” Tate’s letters also hint at the social hierarchy and the racial segregation existing in the Deep South at that time. Although Aunt Patty Cake sells Delightfully Devine Beauty Products to the residents of “…Pine Bend, where the colored folks live … ”, when questioned she tells Tate she does not have to go there. Constance Washington, a resident of Pine Bend, gathers orders for Aunt Patty Cake and delivers them to her.“Dear Hank Williams” is appropriate in language and subject matter for the target age group. Each letter is short – only a few pages – if desired, the book can be read quickly. Because of the issues and younger readers’ unfamiliarity with the attitudes and situations making up the topics of her letters, they may have difficulty relating to Tate. The innocence and simpler life highlighted throughout “Dear Hank Williams” will be foreign to many young readers. Because many adults will remember the post-World War II years and their own parents’ attitudes, grandparents may find they enjoy the book far more than those for whom this book is intended. Although I loved “Dear Hank Williams” and believe that other adults will love it, too, I think most readers in the target age group may only “like it”.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.A love letter to country music and a Southern childhood
By Kristin J. Johnson
Dear Tate P. Ellerbee c/o Kimberly Williams Holt,I just read your book and I certainly loved it. Just so you know, I'm writing you in 2015 and Mr. Hank Williams is the huge star you predicted he would be. He has a son, too, who became a singer. Following in his musical footsteps the way you are in your momma's. I imagine Miss Tate will be on all the radios, especially the Louisiana Hayride show.I know it can't be easy having a momma in prison because she got involved with the wrong man, or having a little brother like Frog. All I will say about Frog is that he is a special brother and you a sensitive girl.It's also difficult for you to understand why your teacher, Miss Kipler, would want your class to write to Japanese pen pals after the war. There are some things we don't understand, either as children or adults. Like how governments can go to war and kill each other even though those governments and the people in Japan and the USA may be good and kind. You're a bright, spunky, talented young lady with the gumption to write Hank Williams, someone you've never even met whom you just know will be a worldwide star.You're a good girl, Tate. And thanks to the Japanese you're learning from your classmates Theo Grace and Coolie, you're "the next best thing to having an international pen pal" for Mr. Williams.I know the cemetery makes you sad and you don't want to go there with Mrs. Applebee next door, and that you worry Uncle Jolly falls in love with all the wrong women, and you miss your momma. But sadness and happiness are a part of life. You have a wonderful optimism, Tate. I'm happy that Mr. Williams saved these letters and gave them to Kimberly Willis holt, who was so kind as to publish them in a book.Your friend, KristinP.S. I just love your dog Lovie.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.The story of a young optimist told through an 11 year old's letters to Hank Williams.
By Miss Barbara
Tate is 11-years old and has been given the task of writing to a pen pal by her teacher. In the late 40’s many educators of the day encouraged their young wards to cultivate a dialog with the children of foreign countries to bridge the gaps caused by the war and to heal cultural differences. Tate’s teacher suggested that the children in her class write to contemporaries in Japan.Racial qualms and the fear of Red Communists is an undercurrent that runs through this book. A boy in Tate’s class says to the teacher that his dad thinks she must be a communist for giving this assignment. In her own home Tate’s Aunt Patty Cake sells cosmetics around town with the exception of the Colored section. There is no real meanness per se but the norms of the day are presented for the young readers to see history through the eyes of young Tate.Tate is living with Aunt Patty Cake because her mother is in Hollywood becoming a famous actress and her dad is a celebrated photographer traveling the world. Also living in the house are her brother Frog and her mom’s brother Uncle Jolly who has bad luck in love and is said to get his heart broken as often as Aunt Patty Cake burns the toast (all the time).The family listens to the radio at night and they hear Hank Williams singing on a show called The Louisiana Hayride. She immediately decides that her pen pal assignment will be with Mr. Hank Williams. In these short and concise letters the reader learns about the life and times of this charming young girl; about her family and her hopes and dreams. We learn that she wants to become a singer like her mother and Hank Williams and even plans to enter a talent contest.As the story progresses more and more of her personal history is learned and at least some of it is not what Tate assumed was true at the start. One thing hold fast during the entire story and it is that Tate is an optimist. No matter what joys or heartaches are put in her path she makes the best of them. This is an excellent story as well as a good history lesson that describes the life and times of living in the south post-WWII.
