Dear Hank Williams by Kimberly Willis Holt 224 pages

In 1948, Tate P. Ellerbee’s teacher gives the class the assignment of writing to pen pals. The students get to pick their pen pals and Tate decides to write to Hank Williams, an up-in-coming country star. Even though Tate never gets a response from Hank, she continues to write to him. In her letters to Hank, Tate tells him of her life in Rippling Creek and of her brother, Frog, that never talks ever since their mother went to jail. The ending has a surprising twist that I never saw coming.

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff, 97 pages

This is a little gem of a book that I read because it was listed as similar to another book I am on the wait-list for.  It can be classified in one of my favorite nerdy librarian genres "Books about Books."

Helene Hanff was a New Yorker with a hankering for classic British literature and she couldn't afford to buy the books from New York book sellers, or often find what she wanted.  She began a 20 year correspondence and love fest in 1949 with a bookstore, Marks & Co. Booksellers located at 84, Charing Cross Road, London.

The book is a collection of the real letters that were exchanged between Helene and Frank Doel (and others) at the store.  Beautiful, wonderful, uplifting.  And oh yes, jolly good!