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Let The Chipmunks Fall Where They May
By: Alan Nelson     Posted: Thursday, October 27, 2011 12:03 am
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Let The Chipmunks Fall Where They May | Hank The Cowdog, John R. Erickson,

Old Hank The Cowdog books. Photo by Karnegie Musa. Copyright 2011.

They read Hank The Cowdog in Iran.   Sentences such as the "It's me again, Hank the Cowdog," have been translated into Persian.

That fact swatted me in the face like Pete the Barn Cat.   

Hank the Cowdog is the creation of John R. Erickson of Perrytohn.  I know Perryton because I know Pampa, Stinnett, Fritch, Borger and other towns in the Texas Panhandle.   I took a review copy home once of Erickson’s first book of the 58-book series, and ended up reading it to my son.  It was his first non-picture book.  We continued to read, and then listen to Erickson’s books on tape, then CD, and now digital downloads.  

Erickson's phrases and stories became part of our landscape. Rip and Snort's song "I'm just a worthless coyote'' became one of our hymns.  Hank's thoughts about buzzards became our thoughts:  I try to be friendly and all of that, but there's just something about a buzzard that don't sit right with me. Maybe it's because they're so ugly. Looks ain't everything in this life, unless you happen to look like a turkey buzzard, and then they're pretty crucial. 

Or:  "I burped dead fish all afternoon." 

In fourth grade, my son wrote Erickson in care of his publisher.  To our surprise, Erickson wrote him promptly back and answered his questions about Hank and the ranch that Erickson lives on outside of Perryton.

My son saw a play in Houston based on Hank the Cowdog, and was incensed to see Hank played by a girl.  (Pete is a boy cat).

My son is grown, graduated and works as an engineer.  We still talk, however, about Hank the Cowdog,  Drover, Wallace the Buzzard, Slim, and others. Our favorite work is The Wounded Buzzard on Christmas Eve which I listen at least once, and usually several times, every December.

So it was with glee we both saw that Odyssey Pictures has acquired the screenplay and feature film rights of Hank The Cowdog.

In the words of Hank, let the chipmunks fall where they will. 
 
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