July 29, 2004
My favorite cop
Meet Hank the Cowdog, the hilarious head of ranch security. A tremendous series of kids books, and - even better - audio stories that my kids love. In a wide array of episodes, with names like The Case of the Vampire Cat, The Secret Laundry Monster Files, or The Case of the One-Eyed Stud Horse, Hank and his ranch pals give a terrifically funny view of ranch life and cowboy ethos from a dog's point of view (albeit an ego-centric, delusional, paranoid but basically good dog).
The author, John Erickson, was a real cowboy. He writes and records all the voices and (delightful) music in each of the tapes. He started this series himself as a small passtime in Texas, first appearing in "The Cattleman" magazine and then selling self-published books from the back of his pickup. Now, 44 books later, Hank is a kind of cult hero. Check out the very nice site and fan club.
My kids are members, and we are barely ever in the car without a Hank story playing.