Customer Reviews

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog (Hank the Cowdog 1)

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

He's homely, he's not too bright, and he loves to boss around his pal, Drover. But as brilliantly portrayed by writer/narrator John R. Erickson, Hank the Cowdog is also loyal, brave, and downright hilarious. This first story in a series of several dozen, 'The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog' introduces us to Hank, and it isn't long before you get the impression that Mr. Erickson is a keen observer of dogs. Hank's misadventures will have not just the kids laughing, but the adults in your family as well. At one point, my sons owned a few dozen Hank the Cowdog cassettes and we spent many an hour listening along with them at Hank's antics. But along with all that laughter, we were always pleased at the subtle moral values the stories teach. So pull up a chair and listen along as John Erickson takes you into the 'tight circle' of Hanks' world. This is a 'can't miss' selection for children of all ages. Highly recommended.

Hank the Cowdog is a series of wonderfully funny books for kids of all ages. Ours loved them when they were little: they loved having them read to them by my wife and me, they loved hearing John Erickson read them (every book is available, and read unabridged by John Erickson on cassette and CD), and they loved reading them once they got old enough to read them themselves. The Hank books were the very first longer books they started reading. The stories are just funny, nothing serious or educational (other than the crucial step of getting them reading themselves). They loved the books so much that they had the stories nearly memorized, easing their way to reading on their own.

John Erickson is our favorite reader ever, and we own at least half the series on cassette or CD. He does a fantastic job of changing his voice for each of the characters in the books, and is recognizable with each throughout the series. He is always funny and interesting, and writes very engaging songs. Our children are now grown up and moved away, but my wife and I still love to listen to the CDs while driving; a great way to spend some time on long trips in the car.

If you still like to read as a family and have kids in the middle to low elementary grades, this is the book for you. The characters are fun and the observations that the Director of Ranch Security, Hank the Cowdog, make are amazingly right on, given HIS perspective on life.

THis is one of those books that the whole family can enjoy. No huge character messages, just clean and wholesome and NOT Disney. My husband and I enjoy these as much as the kids. If you get a chance to hear a recorded version of these, that is EVEN better. The voicing is amazing.

I highly recommend these for a fresh voice from the children's characters we hear so much about.

Hank is a great main character-- brash, bold, not quite as smart or as tough as he thinks he is, but with a heart of gold. This is a great bedtime read-aloud book for younger kids. There's lots of characters (great chance for some goofy voices, parents). and here, as in most of his books, the adventure is somewhat picaresque so it's not to hard to take a break at the end of chapters. Be warned that Hank is not always pc, but otherwise there is nothing here to offend or alarm. This book makes a great introduction to the character. And for long car trips, check out the audio tapes (read by the author).

This book is so sweet it should of won the Newberry award for best book. Even though a third grader could read it I at age almost 18 still enjoyed the doggy dog days of Hank. The little words in the big print makes it easy and enjoyable to read. I think Hank speaks the truth about life and the bad things that are out there. Hank teaches kids not to do drugs and kill chickens. I believe that Hank the Cowdog is a great inspiration to us all. Also allowing younger readers to believe in themselves.

I read this book to my students (third and fourth graders) at the recommendation of a publisher/teacher friend. I had heard from other teacher friends that "kids love the cliffhangers at the end of every chapter" and that "this is the only book my students would sit still for." All that, true. What I hadn't expect was how much I would enjoy it as well. My husband is also hooked on the series and I've gotten one of the books for my sister-in-law who was a reluctant reader until Hank came along. I strongly recommend adding this book to your own library, your kids' library, and, if you are a fellow teacher, your school library.

"Hank the Cowdog" was the first series of book I ever really got into. Reading these books made me laugh and laugh and I now have great memories of passing pleasant hours with Hank. The characters are great and the stories are very entertaining. I think my love of reading is partly due to my first experiences of reading with this series. I hope to one day get my own children hooked on reading by introducing them to Hank. Thank you, Mr. Erickson.

The Adventures of Hank the Cowdog is a great book by John R. Ericson. The story takes place on an old ranch. It is about a dog named Hank, who is head of ranch security. Loper is his master. Loper also has another dog named Pete, who is Hank's best friend. It is funny how the author makes Hank have no idea what's going on a lot of the time, he is clueless and that's only one of the funny parts of the book. Hank gets into lots of trouble and has exciting adventures. Hank runs away and joins a wolf pack, but he comes back at the end. This is a great book. It made me laugh out loud. It's the greatest book on earth. I want to buy more Hank the Cowdog books.

We received this book as a gift and began reading it before bedtime to my 4 year-old last year. He might not understand some of the more subtle humor but he LOVES the slapstick!! And it is very easy to put a voice to every character! We have read two other Hanks and each one is just as funny as the first. Bedtime with the giggles at our house--- its worth it!

This book is the first in the Hank the Cowdog Series. It introduces the characters well. Hank is very conceited and never admits to being wrong. It is always someone else's fault. But his conversations with Drover (his sidekick) are hilarious because of this.

This book doesn't have quite the absurdity which makes the later volumes so funny, but it has a better plot than some. Of course, Hank leaves the ranch, like in most of the books. And of course, he comes back.