Part of Series

Hank the Cowdog

Series · 81 books

By Nicolette G. Earley, John R. Erickson

It’s early springtime on the ranch, and Hank is going through the usual motions of making sure that a warm spring arrives safely: singing songs about it, barking faithfully each morning, and helping the cowboys with their work around the ranch. However, in the midst of a particularly hard day’s nap, he receives a report that his little birdy friend, Madame Moonshine, is in danger of being eaten by Pete the Barncat! Naturally, Hank springs into action to save her, but a misstep brings the wrath of Sally May down on his head, and Hank must flee the scene of the rescue and travel west on the Oregon Trail with Little Alfred. Later, when a freak storm causes the creek to rise, stranding Little Alfred far from the house, Hank must rely on his instincts and clever wits—and perhaps a little help from Madame Moonshine—to keep them both safe and get Alfred back to his mother!

Avg Rating

4.31

Number of Ratings

5 STARS

58%

4 STARS

23%

3 STARS

14%

2 STARS

1 STARS

goodreads

Author

John R. Erickson

Author · 96 books

John R. Erickson, a former cowboy and ranch manager, is gifted with a storyteller's knack for spinning a yarn. Through the eyes of Hank the Cowdog, a smelly, smart-aleck Head of Ranch Security, Erickson gives readers a glimpse of daily life on a ranch in the West Texas Panhandle. This series of books and tapes is in school libraries across the country, has sold more than 7.6 million copies, is a Book-of-the-Month Club selection, and is the winner of the 1993 Audie for Outstanding Children's Series from the Audio Publisher's Association. Publishers Weekly calls Hank a "grassroots publishing phenomena," and USA Today says this is "the best family entertainment in years." Hank the Cowdog made his debut in the pages of The Cattleman, a magazine for adults, and when Erickson started getting "Dear Hank" letters, he knew he was onto something. So in 1983, he self-published 2,000 copies of The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog, and they sold out in 6 weeks. When teachers began inviting Erickson to their schools, Hank found his most eager fans. Teachers, librarians, and students alike love Hank. According to some Texas Library Association surveys, the Hank the Cowdog books are the most popular selections in many libraries' children's sections. The lively characters make excellent material for reading and writing lessons, and turn even the most reluctant readers into avid Hank-fans. Erickson was born in Midland, Texas, but by the age of 3, he had moved with his family to Perryton, Texas, where he and his wife live today on their working cattle ranch. They have 3 grown children and 4 grandchildren. His advice to young writers is, "Write about something you know. Try to leave your readers better off than they were before."