It's the Simple Things in Life: Maverick Books

Calling all boys ages 10 and up!!! Calling all boys!!!

The Hank the Cowdog series by John Erickson was made for growing boys who love adventure. These tales of fun and mischief provide hours of entertainment. I happen to know that even many “young at heart” folks love Hank. Now if you spend your evenings enjoying high society functions, Hank will probably not thrill you to your toes. But if down home humor fits your life, then Hank is calling your name.

If you have never heard of Hank the Cowdog you are probably asking, what is this all about? Well, I will let the Maverick Books website give you an idea.

HANK

Hank the Cowdog leads a motley crew of West Texas ranch characters through a series of hilarious adventures. When he's not patrolling the ranch, he spends his time soaking in Emerald Pond (the septic tank) or sleeping on his gunny sack bed under the gas tank. Here, from the very first Hank story ever, Hank tells readers how he thinks of himself and his job:

“When I took this job as Head of Ranch Security, I knew that I was only flesh and blood, four legs, a tail, a couple of ears, a pretty nice kind of nose that the women really go for, two bushels of hair and another half-bushel of Mexican sandburs. You add that all up and you don't get Superman, just me, good old easy-going Hank who works hard, tries to do his job, and gets very little cooperation from anyone else around here.” From Hank the Cowdog #1. The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog (Copyright © John R. Erickson)

DROVER

Drover is Hank's loyal yet timid sidekick. The "little white mutt" is usually found hiding in the machine shed. He has a bad leg which -- coincidentally (?) -- acts up when the action is hot like in the following excerpt:

[Hank:] "Hang on, Drover, here we go!'

[Drover:] 'Oh, my leg...'

We zoomed in for a look. Sure enough, it was Tuerto of the Gotch Eye. When he saw us streaking towards him, he tossed his head and stamped his right front foot. It was pretty clear at this point that he had no business in our home pasture.

'Hank to Drover, over. Confirm visual sighting at eleven o'clock.'

'I thought it was only ten o'clock.'

'Roger, but suspect has moved one hour to the south.'

'Time sure flies when you're scared.'

'Roger. Suspect has invaded our territorial territory. Prepare to initiate Growling Mode!'

'Hank, let's don't growl at him. He might think we're being unfriendly.'

'That's the whole point, Roger.'

'I'm Drover.'

'Of course you are. Ready? Mark! We have initiated Growling Mode One and are proceeding toward the target!'" From Hank the Cowdog 8. The Case of the One-Eyed Killer Stud Horse (Copyright © John R. Erickson)

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE

Hank the Cowdog Books
Hank the Cowdog Audio CDs
Hank Music Tunes
Hank and Drover Plushes and Puppets
The Tornado Game
Sweatshirts and T-shirts
Poster, backpack and more . . .

OUR FAMILY

Our older girls have been reading and listening to Hank for several years. They find the stories very entertaining. Though the escapades sometimes seem impossible, the thread of reality that runs through the stories makes a connection with the reader. Even my husband likes them. They don’t do much for me but then I don’t have much of a sense of humor either. Our 5yo daughter is enjoying listening to the audio stories and playing the Tornado game. This game brings back memories of the old time game of Sorry and has been much enjoyed by our bouncy Kindergartner.

Many libraries have Hank the Cow Dog books so if you think your family would enjoy these, check them out. You might find you want to have a collection of your own. The audios are great for road trips or for home enjoyment too. The inclusion of music and character voices adds much to the stories. You can read here to see if Hank has been a hit or a miss for other families.

Disclosure:This product was provided to our family for free as members of the 2009-2010 Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew. No further compensation was received. Reviews and opinions expressed in this blog are my own.