Hank the Cowdog Books In Order

Publication Order of Hank the Cowdog Books

Hank the Cowdog is a children’s book series where it’s the story of Hank, a dog who calls himself ‘Head of Ranch security.’ In each book, Hank and other characters deal with events and mysteries in the Texas Panhandle home. The series began in 1982 as short stories about Hank and his buddies, and since then, over 70 books have been published.

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog
The novel is the first in the Hank the Cowdog series. Hank the Cowdog is the head of security on Sally May and Loper’s farm. He narrates the story being proud of his dedication to his work and attention to every detail. He talks about how he’s not appreciated enough, eats cheap dog food, and is falsely accused of having lousy behavior, but despite all that, he works so hard to keep the farm safe.

When a chicken is found dead, Hank and his sidekick, a mutt called Drover, look for evidence everywhere. Hank blames Drover for his inability to find the culprit; then, he leaps on what he thinks is a raccoon, only to find out it’s a porcupine instead. Drover then gives the next clue when he informs Hank about the huge monster he earlier saw.

The dogs get prepared to fight the monster that night, and they end up attacking what turns out to be a milk cow, which gets him into trouble with the master. One day, Hank and Drover sit at the back of the pickup as Loper and his friend, Slim, stop at Waterhole café.

While waiting, they get angered by the boxer in the truck near them, and they start teasing the dog by going to pee on the tires. It cannot move because he is tied, and all he can do is bark loudly, which draws the owner’s attention severally out of the restaurant.

They continue talking rudely to the boxer until his increased barking sound makes his angry owner drive off. This makes Hank and Drover so proud of themselves and their joint effort. Some days later, they find another chicken lying dead, and Hank has no clue, but the sight of the chicken makes his stomach rumble with hunger.

He comes up with a plan of dismisses Drover so that he can eat the chicken alone, and when Sally catches him eating, she concludes that he is the culprit who has been killing the chicken. Hank is punished by tying the chicken’s head around his neck.

He now feels that he can’t stand being under-appreciated for his work and decides to leave the farm to become an outlaw. Hank goes to the canyon country, but he can’t get the stinking chicken head from his neck.

He later meets two buzzards named Junior and Wallace, who smell death on him. Hank promises to leave them the chicken head if they get it off his neck. Fortunately, they tear the string off, but they start fighting who will get the head. During the fight, another bird comes and carries the head away.
On another occasion, Hank helps a beautiful coyote named Missy remove her head stuck in a Hawaiian punch can. Her pack happens to know him and doesn’t like him since the time on the farm. They surround him, ready to attack, but Missy informs them that he saved her.

He is later invited to be part of the pack and become Missy’s husband, and he gladly accepts the idea. He is so happy lying around all day long instead of staying alert all the time. Some coyotes take Hank out to a silage pit to drink a fermented liquid and soon hear Drover barking. Hank talks to him, and Drover tells how disappointed he sees him drunk and swears never to a traitor like him.

Hank starts getting bored by coyote life and how they are ever fighting and nipping at his tail. He also doesn’t like the idea of Missy’s gourmet dinner, which makes his stomach sick. When he discovers that the coyotes are planning to raid his previous ranch, he realizes that he can’t allow them to destroy the ranch or hurt Drover.

During the raid, he fights them until he gets help from Loper. Hank is welcomed back at his owner’s home. Will his life be any different this time? Can he solve the chicken murders and solve clear his name?

The Further Adventures of Hank The Cowdog

The book opens up as Hank protects the ranch against a silver monster bird. One morning on the ranch, the story begins when Sally throws a fried egg that Loper wasn’t willing to eat out of the house to Pete, the Barn cat. Pete uses the egg to annoy Hank, and later, he scratches his nose bloody while he tries to reach the egg.

In the process of catching the egg, he crosses his eyes as he looks at the mark, and when he tries to uncross them, he realizes that he can’t because they are stuck and now suffers from Eye-Crosserosis. Drover comes to Hank fast after seeing the neighbor’s pickup approaching, and he knows that the pretty Beulah is in it. True to his guessing, she is inside along with a new mean dog Doberman Pinscher named Rufus.

Beulah has always been Hank’s collie of his dreams, and it hurts him so much that she visits when he can’t see well. Even though he can’t see, he approaches the guest dogs planning to win the heart of Beulah. The Doberman assaults him in front of the love of his life. Could things get any worse for Hank?

Pete tricks Hank into going outside the ranch into a forest where he leaves him there and is forced to face his enemies. Hank later hears rumors that there is a burrowing owl named Madame Moonshine that possesses some magic that could be helpful to heal the Eye-Crosserosis. Will his eyesight be restored to normal?
The book has vivid descriptions giving fine details to the reader for better understanding. There are so many silly situations and humor shown from a dog’s perspective.