Showing results by author "John R. Erickson" in All Categories

When Sally May and Loper head off to visit the relatives, leaving Slim in charge of Little Alfred, Hank knows that trouble is sure to come knocking. But not even the Head of Ranch Security could have predicted what would happen.

Cattle call. A gang of marauding dogs is threatening the calf population on the ranch, and Hank knows that it's up to the Head of Ranch Security to do something about it. But instead of being outside where he can fight off the fiends, Hank is trapped inside - at the mercy of Slim and his dreaded vampire sweeper!

Hank the Cowdog could have told Slim that bringing an orphaned raccoon back to the ranch was not the best idea. But since Slim never pays any attention to Hank, Loper, and Sally May soon find themselves housing an adolescent coon with a mischievous streak a mile wide.

Tired of his reputation as a con artist, Eddy the Rac sets out to prove that he's really a master magician. But the trick's on Hank when Eddy pulls a disappearing act - and leaves the Head of Ranch Security perched in the henhouse with egg on his face.

There's a new dog on the ranch, and Hank the Cowdog is none too thrilled about it. He's supposed to keep an eye on Jake until his owner shows up, but Jake's got other plans. He has to get to Madagascar before someone makes off with his treasure! As if Hank doesn't have enough to worry about, there's a saddle thief on the loose.

Hank encounters the weirdest cat he's ever seen when he, Slim, Drover, and Little Alfred head over to the Hodge's place to feed the cattle. Hank gets bumped out of the back of the Cammo-Stealth army truck. Mary D. Cat is the only one around to help keep Rip and Snort at bay. Will Slim realize Hank is missing in action? Is Mary D. Cat really a vampire? Or could it be - gulp - that she's a good cat after all?

Happy the Lab is back on the ranch, and it looks like he’s up to his usual good-natured, bumbling ways! And, it just so happens that he has wandered onto Hank’s ranch on a particularly exciting day: rain has finally come to their drought-stricken land, and - what’s even more exciting - radio reports claim that there’s a mountain lion on the prowl in their area! As the day unfolds, it appears that the mountain lion report was bogus, which is a good thing, since Hank already has his paws full surviving a bout of food-poisoning and a treacherous investigation of the machine shed.

On a blustery day in late fall, Hank sneaks into the back of Slim's pickup and finds himself at a neighboring rancher's fall branding...the very neighbor, in fact, who owns the gorgeous Miss Scamper the Beagle! Unfortunately, Miss Scamper has always been a little hard to figure out, and he can't decide if she's crazy about him...or just plain crazy. And, as the day unfolds, it even begins to look like she's angling to land him in a heap of trouble with her pit bull boyfriend, Steel!

Hank couldn't be more thrilled when Beulah the Collie comes to the ranch looking for help. It turns out her beau, Plato the Bird Dog, has wandered off in search of the elusive Great White Quail. With Plato out of the picture, Hank is convinced that he'll finally be able to win Beulah's affections. So he takes up the mission, hoping to score some points with his beloved.

To cheat or not to cheat? That is just one of the questions to be answered on the ranch! While interrogating J. T. Cluck, will Hank be able to figure out what scary creatures are planning an attack on the ranch? After Hank lures Pete the Barncat into making a foolish bet for scraps, would Pete try to cheat the Head of Ranch Security? Will truth and justice win in the end?

Hank is helping the cowboys with the dangerous mission of rounding up a very angry bull when a strange twist of events brings a yellow Labrador onto the scene. The entire ranch quickly becomes enamored with this new addition to the ranch's Security Division. Who wouldn't love a good-natured dog who strikes fear into the hearts of angry bovines, wears a big sloppy grin all day, and adores the ranch kids? Where will Hank fit in now that there is a Perfect Dog on the scene? Hank sings a little thing called "Happy Dog", and the yellow Labrador sings his story in "Happy's Confession".

Digging up Trouble...Hank the Cowdog is on the case in his 50th mystery, and it's an extra long, laugh-out-loud adventure! When Hank gets invited, that is, invites himself on an archaeological dig, all he can think about is impressing the head scientist's beautiful lady dog. But Hank's heart isn't the only thing that's about to get stolen!

It’s all hands on deck after head rooster J.T. Cluck files an alarming report that the Charlies have invaded the ranch! And, things go from bad to worse when, in the midst of the chaos, Drover turns up missing. Between J.T.’s report and some important clues from Pete, the Security Force has no choice but to assume that he's been taken hostage! Will Hank be able to rescue his deputy from the Charlies in time—or even find out where they're hiding him—or is it curtains for everyone's favorite sidekick?

No self-respecting Head of Ranch Security would be caught dead sleeping on the job...so when Slim catches Hank asleep, not once but TWICE, Hank knows something sinister is afoot. And, if that's the case, then odds are that Pete the Barncat is involved. Later that day, the case takes an interesting twist when Hank learns that Pete has been missing for two days! Worried about her precious kitty, Sally May asks Slim and Hank to find and rescue Pete from whatever trouble he might’ve found himself in.

Slim’s phone doesn’t ring very often, so on the rare occasions that it does, he’s usually in for an adventure! This time it’s a search and rescue operation for Miss Viola’s father, Woodrow, who went missing while making his daily rounds of the pastures. Unfortunately, the mission led by Hank, Slim, and Deputy Kile comes to a screeching halt when an unexpected Texas downpour turns the ranch roads to mud and strands their vehicles in a ditch. Now, it’s up to Viola to save the day and get the search team back on track.

Of all the mysteries Hank has faced in his illustrious career as the head of ranch security, the only one that still has him truly stumped is the key to unlocking Miss Beulah's heart. Why on earth would she go for a bird-brained bird dog when a specimen like Hank stands ready to sweep her off her feet? Could there be more to this problem than meets the eye?

It's early springtime on the ranch, and Hank is going through the usual motions of making sure that a warm spring arrives safely: singing songs about it, barking faithfully each morning, and helping the cowboys with their work around the ranch. However, in the midst of a particularly hard day's nap, he receives a report that his little birdy friend, Madame Moonshine, is in danger of being eaten by Pete the Barncat! Naturally, Hank springs into action to save her, but a misstep brings the wrath of Sally May down on him, and Hank must flee the scene and travel west on the Oregon Trail.

Prairie Gothic is full of Texas lore. Erickson tells the story of people in the context of a specific place. This place, instrumental in shaping their lives, is the flatland prairie of northwestern Texas that has gone by various names (High Plains, South Plains, Staked Plains, and Llano Estacado). One branch of Erickson's family arrived in Texas in 1858. Erickson's family interacts with significant historical figures, such as Cynthia Ann Parker, and includes members of the Estacado Quaker colony.

In this exciting case, Hank falls victim to a series of sneaky schemes. First a turkey debacle endangers his relationship with Sally May, then a case of poisoning puts him at death's doornail, and finally a disastrous ride to town almost finishes him off. As each terrible event takes its toll on his reputation--not to mention his dignity--Hank begins to notice a pattern. Could it be that an evil mastermind is behind these plots?

In this exciting case, Hank falls victim to a series of sneaky schemes: first, a Turkey Debacle endangers his relationship with Sally May, then, a case of poisoning puts him at death's doornail, and finally, a disastrous ride to town almost finishes him off. As each terrible event takes its toll on his reputation - not to mention his dignity - Hank begins to notice a pattern. Could it be that an evil mastermind is behind these plots?