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John R. Erickson Books in Order
John R. Erickson, a renowned storyteller and author, breathes life into the world of Hank the Cowdog, a clever and lovable Head of Ranch Security. With his unique blend of humor and wit, Erickson transports readers to the rolling hills and dusty ranches of West Texas. His beloved children's series has captivated audiences nationwide, selling over 7.6 million copies and earning the 1993 Audie for Outstanding Children's Series from the Audio Publishers Association. Publishers Weekly hails Hank as a "grassroots publishing phenomenon," and USA Today praises the series as "the best family entertainment in years." Erickson's journey as a writer began with a self-published book, The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog, which sold out in six weeks. As the series gained momentum, Erickson found himself in high demand, with teachers and librarians clamoring for his appearances in schools. His engaging characters have become staples in reading and writing lessons, making even the most reluctant readers into Hank enthusiasts.
Bibliography verified: April 2026
Quick Answer
What are all of John R. Erickson's book series? John R. Erickson has written 6 book series. The most notable is the Hank's Ranch Life series.
Complete series list with all books in reading order below.
Book Series by John R. Erickson
- #1
Cowboys and Horses(2017) - #2
Ranching and Livestock(2017) - #3
Ranch Wildlife(2018) - #4
Ranch Weather(2020)
- #1
The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog(1980) - #2
The Further Adventures of Hank the Cowdog(1983) - #3It's a Dog's Life(1984)
- #4Murder in the Middle Pasture(1985)
- #5
Faded Love(1985) - #6Let Sleeping Dogs Lie(1986)
- #7The Curse of the Incredible Priceless Corncob(1986)
- #8The Case of the One-Eyed Killer Stud Horse(1987)
- #9
The Case of the Halloween Ghost(1987) - #10
Every Dog Has His Day(1988) - #11
Lost in the Dark Unchanted Forest(1988) - #12
The Case of the Fiddle Playing Fox(1989) - #13The Wounded Buzzard on Christmas Eve(1989)
- #14
Hank the Cowdog and Monkey Business(1990) - #15
The Case of the Missing Cat(1990) - #16Lost in the Blinded Blizzard(1991)
- #17
The Case of the Car-Barkaholic Dog(1991) - #18The Case of the Hooking Bull(1992)
- #19
The Case of the Midnight Rustler(1992) - #20The Phantom in the Mirror(1993)
- #21
The Case of the Vampire Cat(1993) - #22Moonlight Madness(1994)
- #23
The Case of the Black-hooded Hangmans(1995) - #24The Case of the Kidnapped Collie(1996)
- #25
The Case of the Night-Stalking Bone Monster(1996) - #26
The Mopwater Files(1997) - #27
The Case of the Vampire Vacuum Sweeper(1997) - #28
The Case of the Haystack Kitties(1998) - #29
The Case of the Vanishing Fishhook(1998) - #30
The Case of the Garbage Monster from Outer Space(1999) - #31
The Case of the Measled Cowboy(1999) - #32
Slim's Good-bye(2000) - #33
The Case of the Saddlehouse Robbery(2000) - #34The Case of the Raging Rottweiler(2000)
- #35
The Fling(2001) - #36
The Case of the Missing Bird Dog(2002) - #37Tales and Tunes from Hank the Cowdog(2003)
- #38The Case of the Shipwrecked Tree(2003)
- #39The Case of the Burrowing Robot(2003)
- #40The Case of the Twisted Kitty(2004)
- #41The Dungeon of Doom(2004)
- #42
The Homeless Pooch(2004) - #43The Case of the Falling Sky(2005)
- #44
The Watermelon Patch Mystery(2005) - #45
The Case of the Tender Cheeping Chickies(2006) - #46The Case of the Monkey Burglar(2006)
- #47
The Kitty Cheater(2006) - #48The Case of the Blazing Sky(2008)
- #49The Quest for the Great White Quail(2008)
- #50
The Cookie Moon(2009) - #51Drover's Secret Life(2009)
- #52The Case of the Dinosaur Birds(2009)
- #53The Case of the Secret Weapon(2010)
- #54The Case of the Coyote Invasion(2010)
- #55
The Dancing Cowboy(2010) - #56
The Valentine's Day Robbery(2010) - #57The Case of the Perfect Dog(2012)
- #58
The Runaway Windmill(2012) - #59
The Case of the Mysterious Voice(2012) - #60
The Big Question(2012) - #61The Disappearance of Drover(2012)
- #62The Case of the Most Ancient Bone(2012)
- #63The Case of the Booby-Trapped Pickup(2012)
- #64
The Case of the Tricky Trap(2012) - #65The Case of the Prowling Bear(2013)
- #66
The Case of the Deadly Ha-Ha Game(2013) - #67
The Secret Laundry Monster Files(2013) - #68The Case of the Swirling Killer Tornado(2013)
- #69
The Case of the Double Bumblebee Sting(2013) - #70The Ghost of Rabbits Past(2013)
- #71The Return of the Charlie Monsters(2014)
- #72
The Case of the Three Rings(2014) - #73The Three Rings(2014)
- #74The Almost Last Roundup(2015)
- #75The Christmas Turkey Disaster(2015)
- #76Wagons West(2016)
- #77The Secret Pledge(2016)
- #78
The Case of the Wandering Goats(2017) - #79
The Case of the Troublesome Lady(2017) - #80
The Case of the Monster Fire(2018) - #81
The Case of the Three-Toed Sloth(2018) - #82
The Case of the Buried Deer(2019) - #83
The Frozen Rodeo(2020) - #84
The Case of the Red Rubber Ball(2020) - #85
The Case of the Missing Teeth(2021) - #86
The Case of the Lost Camp(2021) - #87
The Incredible Ice Event(2022) - #88
Double Trouble(2023) - #89
The Case of the Airborne Invasion(2024) - #90
The Case of the Poison Toad(2025)
- #1
Through Time and the Valley(1978) - #2
Panhandle Cowboy(1980) - #3
The Modern Cowboy(1981) - #4
Essays on Writing and Publishing(1985) - #5
The Long Look (With: David W. Ray)(1987) - #6
LZ Cowboy(1997) - #7
Some Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys(2000) - #8
Catch Rope(2000) - #9
Friends(2002) - #10
Prairie Gothic(2005) - #11
Story Craft(2009) - #12
Finding Hank(2019) - #13
Bad Smoke, Good Smoke(2021) - #14
Porch Talk (With: Douglas K. Boyd)(2021)
- #1
Moonshiner's Gold(2001) - #2
Discovery at Flint Springs(2004) - #3
Fear's Return(2011)
- #1
Cowboys Are Partly Human (With: Gerald L. Holmes)(1983) - #2
The Hunter(1984) - #3
Ace Reid Cowpoke(1984) - #4
Cowboy Country(1986) - #5Cowboys Are A Separate Species(1986)
- #6
Cowboys Are Old Enough to Know Better(1988) - #7
Cowboy Fiddler in Bob Wills' Band(1991) - #8
The Devil in Texas and Other Cowboy Tales (With: Gerald L. Holmes)(1983) - #9
Alkali County Tales (With: Gerald L. Holmes)(1984)
- #1
A Sweet, Separate Intimacy: Women Writers of the American Frontier, 1800-1922 (By: Susan Cummins Miller)(2000) - #2
A Sweet, Separate Intimacy: Women Writers of the American Frontier, 1800–1922 (By: Susan Cummins Miller)(2000) - #3
Texas Dance Halls: A Two-Step Circuit (By: Andy Wilkinson,Gail Folkins,J. Marcus Weekley)(2007) - #4
In My Father’s House: A Memoir of Polygamy (By: Andy Wilkinson,Dorothy Allred Solomon)(2009) - #5
Rightful Place (By: Amy Hale Auker,Linda M. Hasselstrom)(2011) - #6
Light in the Trees (By: Andy Wilkinson,Gail Folkins)(2015) - #7
Ordinary Skin: Essays from Willow Springs (By: Amy Hale Auker)(2017)
About John R. Erickson
John R. Erickson, a renowned storyteller and author, breathes life into the world of Hank the Cowdog, a clever and lovable Head of Ranch Security. With his unique blend of humor and wit, Erickson transports readers to the rolling hills and dusty ranches of West Texas. His beloved children's series has captivated audiences nationwide, selling over 7.6 million copies and earning the 1993 Audie for Outstanding Children's Series from the Audio Publishers Association. Publishers Weekly hails Hank as a "grassroots publishing phenomenon," and USA Today praises the series as "the best family entertainment in years." Erickson's journey as a writer began with a self-published book, The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog, which sold out in six weeks. As the series gained momentum, Erickson found himself in high demand, with teachers and librarians clamoring for his appearances in schools. His engaging characters have become staples in reading and writing lessons, making even the most reluctant readers into Hank enthusiasts.
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