The Case of the Hooking Bull (Hank the Cowdog, No. 18)
Grade 3-6-- This is #18 in the series, and judging from what happens to Hank in this book, it's a wonder he is still alive. Loper and Sally May leave their ranch and Little Alfred, their son, in the care of ranch-hand, Slim, while they attend an out-of-town wedding. As self-appointed head of ranch security, Hank the Cowdog makes it his business to keep an eye on things. (A page at the end of the book offers children the opportunity to become a member of Hank's Security Squad by sending in $5.) The canine warns readers early on that `` . . . this is going to be a pretty scary story . . . ,'' but gratituously violent is a more appropriate adjective. Hank has stones thrown at him, gets violently ill from eating too much ice cream, is attacked by an angry bull, and almost drowns in a stock tank. In a dreadful scene toward the end of the book, Slim is pinned beneath his horse, who is lassoed to an enraged bull who, in turn, attacks the horse. Of course, just like in the movies, everyone survives. The line drawings interspersed throughout are appealing and bring out the comic aspects of the characters that are lacking in the writing. One exception is the drawing of Hank spinning around inside the clothes dryer while Little Alfred turns the control knob. This book is not funny, although it tries very hard to be. --Laura Culberg, Harold Washington Library Center, ChicagoCopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an alternatePaperbackedition.