Book Review: Hank, the Cowdog (for kids but adults love Hank, too!)

Hank, the Cowdog: It’s a Dog’s Life, by John Erickson, (1984, 5.99$, Puffin Books, 127 pages [#3 of 57 books in the series, as well as audios], ages 9-12)

Hank is the bumbling, misunderstood hero-dog all young boys would like to be!

Head of Ranch Security and leader-mentor of one (Drover the dog), Hank makes rounds of his Texas panhandle ranch at night, takes a quick bath in the green water, then snoozes throughout the day on his funky burlap sack beneath the water tank when he isn’t out solving mysteries or having adventures.

He is an outdoor dog who gets himself into scrapes and scraps that he somehow manages to get himself out of by the end of chapter 12. And Drover goes along for the ride as number one sidekick assistant who usually gets things mixed up (he is still learning).

A Boy’s Book for Girls, Too

Written for 9-12 year olds by a former cowboy who began the series 28 years ago, a Hank book can be read all through in one sitting or one chapter at a time - cliff-hangers with interlocking plots.

Written to be Read Out Loud

Hank is a fast-talking lovable mutt and if you scrunch your eyes real tight and hold the cover at arms’ distance, you might be able to see him as a golden retriever – but a golden with short hair, long ears and a menacing grin for anyone who dares trespass on HIS ranch.

Lovable characters abound from Rip and Snort the singing (howling) coyotes, to Wallace and Junior the ugly buzzards who eat only dead things, to Beulah the cute girl dog on the neighboring ranch.

And, see the movie trailer here!

You, Too, Will be a Hank Fan

I’m a Hank fan and I’m an adult!

Hank, who attacks empty cowboy boots thinking they are headless leathery-skinned creatures,

Hank - who ‘marks’ a clothesline pole that then turns into an angry woman’s leg hanging out the clothes,

Hank - who is thought to be rabid when he foams at the mouth after eating a bar of Ivory soap,   

Hank, who breaks out of the pound and breaks into houses,

Hank - you gotta love ‘im,

Hank - the accidental hero!

And only 53 Hank books left to devour!

For more fun and games, go to http://www.hankthecowdog.com/.