The Case of the Hooking Bull by John R. Erickson

In 1982, he started his own publishing company called Maverick Books, which published the first Hank the Cowdog book in 1983. He began to publish short stories while working full-time as a cowboy, farmhand, and ranch manager. degree from the University of Texas in Austin and studied for two years at Harvard Divinity School. John Richard Erickson was born in Midland, Texas on October 20, 1943. Try to leave your readers better off than they were before.Unsupervised for the day, Hank the cowdog and his human friends, Little Alfred and Slim Chance, mind the ranch with humorous results. His advice to young writers is, 'Write about something you know. They have 3 grown children and 4 grandchildren. The lively characters make excellent material for reading and writing lessons, and turn even the most reluctant readers into avid Hank-fans.Įrickson 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. According to some Texas Library Association surveys, the Hank the Cowdog books are the most popular selections in many libraries' children's sections.

Teachers, librarians, and students alike love Hank. When teachers began inviting Erickson to their schools, Hank found his most eager fans. So in 1983, he self-published 2,000 copies of The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog, and they sold out in 6 weeks. 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. Publishers Weekly calls Hank a 'grassroots publishing phenomena,' and USA Today says this is 'the best family entertainment in years.'

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. 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. Erickson, a former cowboy and ranch manager, is gifted with a storyteller's knack for spinning a yarn.

The Case of the Hooking Bull by John R. Erickson