Category Archives: Hank the Cowdog

Comprehension Questions – Hank the Cowdog#3 It’s a Dog’s Life

By John R. Erickson

Grades 4-6; Genre - Fiction; 720L; AR pts: 3.0

Summary by Marcus Schlairet Russ (11 yrs old)

Have you ever wanted to get back at someone? Hank’s sister, Maggie, does in this story.

In the beginning, Hank gets in trouble because he messes up Sally May’s house. He was investigating something, Pete, the Barncat, told Drover.

Then, he ran away to visit his sister, Maggie. She tricked him into eating a bar of soap because he pushed her into the sewer when they were puppies.

In the end, the dogcatcher put him in the pound for rabies, because he was foaming at the mouth. He escaped and went home. He got revenge on Pete scaring him into the water trough.

You will laugh when you read about Hank’s adventures and eating the bar of soap. I know I did!

Comprehension Questions (written by Steven Schlairet)

Chapter 1

  1. What did Hank send Drover to do? Bark at the mailman. Pg. 2.
  2. Why did Hank say he had fleas? Because Loper only bought him 1 gunny sack a year. Pg. 4.
  3. Why did Hank say cowdogs barked at mailmen? Because they always did. Pg. 7.
  4. What news did Drover hear? It was the end of the world. Pg. 9.

Chapter 2

  1. What did Hank think was wrong with Pete? He swallowed a chicken bone. Pg. 11
  2. Why did Pete think it was the end of the world? Cat’s intuition. Pg. 13.
  3. What did they learn from the interrogation of Pete? Sally May wrote on her calendar. Pg. 15.
  4. What was the clicking time bomb? Drover’s chattering teeth. Pg. 16.
  5. How did Hank want to check out the problem? Penetration of the house. Pg. 18.

Chapter 3

  1. What did Hank think smelled like a skunk? Loper’s boots. Pg. 25.
  2. What did Hank find on the table? 3 T-bone steaks. Pg. 29.
  3. Why did Drover call “mayday!”? Because Sally May came home. Pg. 29.

Chapter 4

  1. What did Hank do when Sally May caught him? Knocked the jelly jar off the table. Pg. 31.
  2. Did Hank think it was his fault? No. The cowboys had plenty to eat. Pg. 34.
  3. What did Hank think of cat’s cleaning? Dirty from spit; not clean from the sewer. Pg. 37.
  4. Why was Hank going to leave to visit his sister? Let it blow over. Pg. 39.

Chapter 5

  1. Who did Hank meet playing the banjo and singing? Junior. Pg. 45.
  2. What did Hank teach Junior about singing? How to howl. Pg. 48.
  3. Who joined them in singing? Rip and Snort. Pg. 50

Chapter 6

  1. What was the clothes’ line pole with a shoe? A woman’s leg. Pg. 57.
  2. What did Maggie smell? Hank’s smell from the sewer. Pg. 59.
  3. Did Maggie want Hank to stay? No. Pg. 61.
  4. Why did Hank stay? To tell the kids stories. Pg. 63.

Chapter 7

  1. What did Maggie want to be called? Margaret; she didn’t like nick names. Pg. 65.
  2. What did Hank teach them first? To dig under the fence. Pg. 68.
  3. What did they eat from the garbage? A bunch of fish heads. Pg. 70.
  4. Who made fun of the pups? A cat on the fence. Pg. 72.

Chapter 8

  1. What does urchins mean? A mischievous child poorly dressed. Pg.74.
  2. What do the cats do? Sing a song mocking the dogs. Pg. 76.
  3. What do the dogs do back? Sing a song mocking the cats. Pg. 77.
  4. What do the dogs finally do? Start barking. Pg. 81.
  5. Who arrives after the neighbors get upset? The city dogcatcher. Pg. 83.

Chapter 9

  1. What is the bullet that Hank dodged? Getting his siter’s kids thrown in the pound. Pg. 84.
  2. What does Hank tell Maggie he did with the kids? They were just singing. Pg. 85.
  3. What does Maggie give Hank to eat? An Ivory Dog Bar. Pg. 89.
  4. Why did she give it to Hank? He pushed her into the sewer and she cried. Pg. 92.
  5. Why did the dogcatcher take Hank? He thought he was rabid. Pg. 95.

Chapter 10

  1. What did the dogcatcher do to Hank in the cage? Poke him with a stick. Pg. 99.
  2. What did the dogcatcher say about Hank? He tried to attack a child. Pg. 99.
  3. What test would they run on Hank? Cut off his head to check for rabies. Pg. 100.
  4. What did Ralph keep doing? Falling asleep. Pg. 106.

Chapter 11

  1. Did Hank believe his sister gave him soap on purpose? No. Pg. 108.
  2. What happened when Hank rammed the cell door? He passed out. Pg. 110.
  3. How did Ralph get in Hank’s cell? He just opened the latch. Pg. 110.

Chapter 12

  1. What else did the dogcatcher do besides chase hank? He started shooting at him. Pg. 116.
  2. What was Hank’s plan? To run around the Waterhole until Jimmy Joe ran out of gas. Pg. 117.
  3. Who drove Hank back to the ranch? Slim. Pg. 120.
  4. How did Hank get back at Pete? Shoved him into the water trough. Pg. 125.

Expressions used in the Story

Dodge a bullet.  Pg. 84

Mum’s the Word. Pg. 85.

Spill the beans. Pg. 87.

Toss your cookies. Pg. 94.

Comprehension Questions – #2 The Further Adventures of Hank the Cowdog

The Further Adventures of Hank the Cowdog

by John R. Erickson

Grades 3-5; Genre - Fiction; 750L; AR pts: 3.0

Comprehension Questions (by Steve)

Chapter 1

  1. What was the silver monster bird a cross between? A bird and a reptile. Pg. 1.
  2. What kind of noise do they make? A LOUD roar. Pg. 2.
  3. What did Hank say he saw the monster pick up and eat? A whole steer. Pg. 6.
  4. How did Hank fight back the monster? He tore off its leg. Pg. 9.

Chapter 2

  1. Where does Hank like to bath? In the green water of the septic tank. Pg. 12.
  2. Why did Sally May throw out the egg? She busted the yoke. Pg. 13.
  3. Why didn’t Sally May give hank the egg? He fought with the cat and smelled. Pg. 16.
  4. Why was Loper mad at Hank’s barking? He woke the baby. Pg. 20.

Chapter 3

  1. Why could Hank hear every sound when asleep? He had sensitive ears. Pg. 23.
  2. What natural beauty of cowdogs attracted women? Their noses. Pg. 24.
  3. How did Hank try to fix his eyes? A mud pack. Pg. 27.
  4. Why did Hank not tell off Plato? He had the wrong pickup truck. Pg. 32.

Chapter 4

  1. Why was Beulah’s hair so coarse? Hank was talking to a bale of hay. Pg. 35.
  2. Who was Rufus? The Doberman pinscher who’s top dog at Beulah’s ranch. Pg. 38.
  3. Why did Hank fight Rufus? He forced Beulah to kiss him. Pg. 40.

Chapter 5

  1. What warning did Hank issue about the fight? Don’t let children know about it. Pg. 44.
  2. How does Hank say Dobermans got their name? They can pinch with their teeth. Pg. 46.
  3. Where did Drover bite Rufus? On the rump. Pg. 49.

Chapter 6

  1. Who was Hank waiting for by the fence? Drover. Pg. 53.
  2. Who was Hank waiting for in front of the shed? The cowboys. Pg.55.
  3. What did Loper say Hank should do if he can’t win the fight? Avoid the fight. Pg. 57.
  4. What did Drover do to Hank? Stuck out his tongue, threw dirt, paraded. Pg. 61.

Chapter 7

  1. What bothered Hank in the morning? Big green flies and ants. Pg. 64.
  2. What did Loper give Hank to feel better? Eggs and milk. Pg. 65.
  3. Who came to take his grub? Pete the Barncat. Pg. 66.
  4. What mess happened when Hank followed Pete? He got lost in the woods. Pg. 71.

Chapter 8

  1. What animal was hank afraid of in the woods? Snakes. Pg. 73.
  2. What did Rip and Snort ask Hank? Why are you alone? Pg. 76.
  3. What did Hank make them promise? To believe what he told them. Pg. 78.
  4. What did they think would happen? The moon would come down to be eaten. Pg. 79.

Chapter 9

  1. Who were the 2 voices that Hank recognized up in the tree?  Wallace and Junior. Pg. 82.
  2. What happened when Wallace flew down? He got hung upside down in vines. Pg. 85.
  3. Who did Junior say could fix Hank’s eyes? Madame Moonshine. Pg. 88.
  4. What worried Hank about the cave? Snakes. Pg. 90.

Chapter 10

  1. Who did Madame Moonshine say she didn’t believe in? Dogs. Pg. 92.
  2. Why did Madame Moonshine doubt that Hank controlled everything? Because he didn’t control fish, sunrise, ants. Pg. 93.
  3. Who was the rattle snake? Timothy. Pg. 96.
  4. Madame Moonshine would not let Hank leave until what? He solved riddles. Pg. 100.

Chapter 11

  1. What did Hank think Madame Moonshine was better than? Loper’s Black Draught. Pg. 103.
  2. Who was hiding in the post pile? Plato. Pg. 104.
  3. Why did Hank want Plato to Distract Rufus? So he could blind side him. Pg. 106.
  4. Who helped Hank and Plato? Beulah joined the fight. Pg. 111.
  5. How did Billy feel about Rufus getting beat up? Discussed; wanted to sell him. Pg. 113.

Chapter 12

  1. What did Pete and Drover decide to do? To make a play making fun of hank. Pg. 116.
  2. What happened when Hank chased Pete into the feed barn? He got his head stuck. Pg. 121.
  3. What did Hank do when Drover hid? Tore up the Feed barn. Pg. 123.
  4. How did Loper know Hank tore up the barn? Red paint on his paws. Pg. 127.