Finding Hank: The Most-Often Asked Questions about Hank the Cowdog

by John R. Erickson, Gerald L. Holmes (Illustrator)

From the Preface by John R. Erickson: "Hank has become a popular fellow. We have sold over nine million books about his adventures, and we are now hearing from second and third generation Hank fans. They, too, are curious. They want to know...who is Hank? Where did he come from and how did all of this come about?

In Q&A sessions and in replies to fan letters, I'm not able to address those questions in the manner they deserve because the answers are not always short or simple. They require a bigger canvas and that is the purpose of this book."

There are fun and interesting answers to questions about where characters in the Hank series came from, got their names, are any based on real animals or people, growing up in Perryton, recording Hank on audio books, Hank songs, where do story ideas come from and so many more questions? Packed full with color illustrations and pictures, this behind-the pages book is the ultimate gift for Hank the Cowdog fans and readers.

Genres: Biography

180 pages, Hardcover

Published November 8, 2019

About the author

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."

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

First it is an honor to be the first to review this book. My sons, 23 and 15 were the reason I discovered the magic that is Hank the Cowdog. I purchased this book for myself but I picked up three copies of the Adventures of Hank the Cowdog, one for each of my grandkids.
This book is a must read for aspiring authors, whether adult or children books are what they aspire to write. In it Erikson describes his writing process and how he became an author. If you have read any of HTC books then you know he is a first class author!
Second this book is a must read for true Hank fans, it digs into how Hank became the most beloved series. I couldn't put it down, it was the best book I have read of 2019. I laughed out loud and I cried. You will feel as though you and Hank have always been AND always will be the best of friends!

[Carrie Brownell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any fan of Hank the Cowdog is going to love this read. John Erickson is down-to-earth, honest in answering questions that have been posed to him about his own life and that of his most famous character, Hank. He was also very encouraging in his readers' pursuit of the creative. I loved this read so much as a long time Hank fan, but also as a person who is called to create and found motivation between these pages.

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have read any Hank the Cowdog books, you should definitely read this book! I was introduced to Hank by my first grade teacher several (like 20 years!) ago as a read aloud and instantly fell in love with Hank and his crazy antics. I still need to read a good Hank book every once in a while, be it one I haven’t read before or an old favorite.
This book gives so much information about how this wonderful series even happened, how it got started, interesting information about John Erickson, and (my favorite part) what was the inspiration for the characters to name a few things. It answers so many questions that a person could have about the series and in such an interesting way. The pictures were really great as well.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author of the Hank the Cowdog series tells the story of how Hank came to be, where he gets his inspiration, how he writes (every day!) and why he thinks Hank remains so popular. Eerily the author's farm burned in 2017 and he write about that and the Hank story arising from it.

Really interesting and insightful

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. What a great way to find out more about the author and Hank the Cow Dog.