In May of 1985 CBS Television ran a thirty-minute, animated version of my first Hank the Cowdog book. I was excited. At that time, I was self-publishing the Hank books on borrowed money and needed all the help I could get.

Hank was to be one of thirteen episodes, each based on an outstanding children's book, in a series called "CBS Storybreak." The series was hosted by a trusted name in children's broadcasting, Bob Keeshan, better known as Captain Kangaroo.

My first impression was that the TV version stayed pretty close to my book, but after watching it three times, I realized that they had taken the family out of my story! Sally May had become the ranch boss. Loper and Slim worked for her, and it appeared that they all lived together in the bunkhouse. Little Alfred, the child in my book, had vanished into thin air.