John R. Erickson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Richard Erickson
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| Born | October 20, 1943 |
| Education | Perryton High School University of Denver University of Texas Harvard Divinity School |
| Occupation | Western writer: Hank the Cowdog series |
| Spouse(s) | Kristine Dykema Erickson (married c. 1967) |
| Children | 3 |
John Richard Erickson (born October 20, 1943) is an American cowboy and author. He is famous for his popular Hank the Cowdog series of children's books.
Erickson was born in Midland, Texas. He grew up in Perryton in the northern part of the Texas Panhandle. He finished his studies at the University of Texas at Austin in 1966. He also spent some time studying at Harvard Divinity School. John Erickson started writing short stories in 1967. At the same time, he worked as a cowboy and managed ranches in Texas and Oklahoma. The characters Hank and Drover in his books are based on real dogs he worked with on the ranch.
Starting His Own Publishing Company
In 1982, John Erickson decided to start his own publishing company called Maverick Books. He did this after many large publishers turned down his stories. He borrowed some money to get his company going. The character Hank the Cowdog first appeared in The Cattleman magazine. Two short stories about Hank were then included in the first book published by Maverick Books. Erickson began selling his books from his pickup truck wherever cowboys gathered.
The Success of Hank the Cowdog
Soon, Erickson started getting letters addressed to Hank! Because of this, in 1983, he published the first full-length book in the series, The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog. He printed 2,000 copies, and they all sold out in just six weeks.
Because the book was so successful, he quickly recorded it as an audio tape. The Hank the Cowdog audio series has become one of the longest-running successful children's audio series.
Hank's Popularity and Awards
Since then, more than eighty Hank the Cowdog books have been published. The series has become one of the most popular children's fiction series. It has sold over 8.5 million copies and won several awards. You can usually find the full series of books and tapes in most school libraries across the United States. The Texas Library Association supports his books. For two years, parts of his "Hank the Cowdog" series were printed in The Dallas Morning News. His books have also been translated into Persian, Spanish, Danish, and Chinese.
John Erickson has written over seventy books in total. He often visits classrooms and school libraries to perform. He reads parts of his books and sings songs for the students. He lives in Perryton, Texas, with his wife.
About John Erickson's Life
John Richard Erickson was born in Midland, Texas, on October 20, 1943. His parents were Joseph W. Erickson and Anna Beth Curry Erickson. In 1946, his family moved to Perryton in the Texas Panhandle. John Erickson went to school in Perryton. After graduating, he studied at the University of Denver for a year. He then attended the University of Texas, where he met his future wife, Kristine. They got married in 1967.
After his studies, Erickson worked as a cowboy and ranch manager. He worked on different ranches in Texas and Oklahoma. In 1982, he started his own publishing company, Maverick Books. This is when he began writing the Hank the Cowdog stories.
In March 2017, Erickson's ranch home was destroyed by large fires. These fires swept across many acres of the Texas Panhandle. Despite the loss, he remained positive. His property is located south of Perryton in Roberts County. In the Hank the Cowdog books, Hank is the "Head of Ranch Security" at a ranch in nearby Ochiltree County.
