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Cricket: A little girl of the old west
A Little Girl of the Old West by Forrestine C. Hooker, Frontispiece by Leslie Crump, Junior Books, 1941 Doubleday, Doran & Company Inc., 344 page, Hardback......
- GenresChildrens
344 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1929
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January 9, 2026
Cricket: A Little Girl of the Old West by Forrestine Cooper Hooker (1925, 1st edition, hardcover), 344 pages.
Although not listed in the Accelerated Reading (AR) program, this book is at least written for fourth grade level. The used copy I received was a book issued to a Sylvia Cloutier, Grade 4, for “Conscientious Application to Work”.
This book presents a very interesting piece of Texas frontier history and the real struggles between the American government and the Indians that you may not read anywhere else. I wish I had read this first before visiting Fort Sill.
I learned of this book from reading: “Images of America: Fort Sill” by Mark K. Megehee (2018). It was mentioned on page 39. The author, Forrestine Cooper Hooker (1867-1932), is pictured as the youngest of three children with her family. I believe this would be considered historical fiction. Although, it is part memoir, part nonfiction, and part fictional writing. It is based on the author’s childhood memories about growing up at Fort Sill, along with stories from her father, Lieutenant Austin of the Army, and her mother, and stories from her father’s friend and comrade, Captain Robert “Bob” G. Carter of the Fourth U.S. Calvary. Bob is mentioned in the story as having disobeyed orders and prevented the massacre of the people, including the author, in the garrison at Fort Sill.
Cricket’s father, being a Lieutenant in the Army, required the family to move around a bit before being stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Her adventure started in 1867, at 9 months of age, at Ship Island, Fort Massachusetts, off the coast of Biloxi, Mississippi. The island completely submerged at high tide. There was no grass and the houses were built on stilts. The military had built a railroad track on the island to pull a big boat to the housing community where it was kept for emergencies. If the tide came in too deep due to storms, a sentry guard would sound off some warning rounds for people to get into the boat and bring them to the fort for safety, which was built up on higher ground and considered bomb proof.
NOTE: The fort is still there. This is the first I’ve ever heard of this island and one I’d like to visit one day and do a little hiking, if possible. Today, they do offer daily round trip one-hour long ferry rides for $44 from 9:30am-2:30pm or 11:00am-5:00pm. There’s even a snack bar for tourists.
Cricket’s family was later transferred for a short time to Camp Supply (most likely now Fort Supply) in Oklahoma, about 180 miles north of Fort Sill. They were miserable as all the housing had no floors…just dirt in muddy, leaky log cabins. They were, fortunately, soon transferred to Fort Sill.
Carl and I visited Fort Sill on February 14, 2025, for his grandson’s bootcamp graduation and walked around the quadrant where the officers housing were built around 1870 and where Cricket and her family resided. Those homes still exist today, even the home where William Tecumseh Sherman was nearly shot down by three Indian chiefs on the porch of Colonel Grierson’s home during a visit while tensions were rising between the whites and Indians.
OTHER NOTES
Quanah Parker (1845-1911), Chief of Quahada Commanches, is buried in Fort Sill Post Cemetery in Oklahoma. His father was killed by white soldiers while leaning against a tree and praying to the Great Spirit. His mother had been carried away and held captive for the rest of her life. Cricket’s father, being a Lieutenant in the Army, had dealings with Quannah [sic] Parker himself. We visited his grave.
Geronimo (1829-1909) is buried just north and outside Fort Sill in the Beef Creek Apache Cemetery, along with his wives and children. Carl and I drove there to see his grave. But, ironically, he was never mentioned in this book.
Although not listed in the Accelerated Reading (AR) program, this book is at least written for fourth grade level. The used copy I received was a book issued to a Sylvia Cloutier, Grade 4, for “Conscientious Application to Work”.
This book presents a very interesting piece of Texas frontier history and the real struggles between the American government and the Indians that you may not read anywhere else. I wish I had read this first before visiting Fort Sill.
I learned of this book from reading: “Images of America: Fort Sill” by Mark K. Megehee (2018). It was mentioned on page 39. The author, Forrestine Cooper Hooker (1867-1932), is pictured as the youngest of three children with her family. I believe this would be considered historical fiction. Although, it is part memoir, part nonfiction, and part fictional writing. It is based on the author’s childhood memories about growing up at Fort Sill, along with stories from her father, Lieutenant Austin of the Army, and her mother, and stories from her father’s friend and comrade, Captain Robert “Bob” G. Carter of the Fourth U.S. Calvary. Bob is mentioned in the story as having disobeyed orders and prevented the massacre of the people, including the author, in the garrison at Fort Sill.
Cricket’s father, being a Lieutenant in the Army, required the family to move around a bit before being stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Her adventure started in 1867, at 9 months of age, at Ship Island, Fort Massachusetts, off the coast of Biloxi, Mississippi. The island completely submerged at high tide. There was no grass and the houses were built on stilts. The military had built a railroad track on the island to pull a big boat to the housing community where it was kept for emergencies. If the tide came in too deep due to storms, a sentry guard would sound off some warning rounds for people to get into the boat and bring them to the fort for safety, which was built up on higher ground and considered bomb proof.
NOTE: The fort is still there. This is the first I’ve ever heard of this island and one I’d like to visit one day and do a little hiking, if possible. Today, they do offer daily round trip one-hour long ferry rides for $44 from 9:30am-2:30pm or 11:00am-5:00pm. There’s even a snack bar for tourists.
Cricket’s family was later transferred for a short time to Camp Supply (most likely now Fort Supply) in Oklahoma, about 180 miles north of Fort Sill. They were miserable as all the housing had no floors…just dirt in muddy, leaky log cabins. They were, fortunately, soon transferred to Fort Sill.
Carl and I visited Fort Sill on February 14, 2025, for his grandson’s bootcamp graduation and walked around the quadrant where the officers housing were built around 1870 and where Cricket and her family resided. Those homes still exist today, even the home where William Tecumseh Sherman was nearly shot down by three Indian chiefs on the porch of Colonel Grierson’s home during a visit while tensions were rising between the whites and Indians.
OTHER NOTES
Quanah Parker (1845-1911), Chief of Quahada Commanches, is buried in Fort Sill Post Cemetery in Oklahoma. His father was killed by white soldiers while leaning against a tree and praying to the Great Spirit. His mother had been carried away and held captive for the rest of her life. Cricket’s father, being a Lieutenant in the Army, had dealings with Quannah [sic] Parker himself. We visited his grave.
Geronimo (1829-1909) is buried just north and outside Fort Sill in the Beef Creek Apache Cemetery, along with his wives and children. Carl and I drove there to see his grave. But, ironically, he was never mentioned in this book.
Read
February 24, 2024I picked this book up out of curiosity for the historical context. The book follows the childhood of Cricket, the daughter of Tenth Calvary officer, Lieutenant Austin and his wife. I can truly say Cricket drove me bonkers with her mischievously over the top personality! For a child around 5-ish, she was the poster child of precocious from birth to the current age in the book.
All that aside, the author captured the frontier military life in detail. The descriptions of Fort Supply, Ft. Sill, Medicine Bluff and the Wichita Mountains/Mt. Scott area give a new perspective of my backyard. Hooker also managed to convey the restlessness and desperation of the Native Americans trapped at Ft. Sill, struggling with the terrible circumstances of government issued mandates, humanizing their tragedy. Although the story is fictional, the real places and people discussed stamps with feelings.
All that aside, the author captured the frontier military life in detail. The descriptions of Fort Supply, Ft. Sill, Medicine Bluff and the Wichita Mountains/Mt. Scott area give a new perspective of my backyard. Hooker also managed to convey the restlessness and desperation of the Native Americans trapped at Ft. Sill, struggling with the terrible circumstances of government issued mandates, humanizing their tragedy. Although the story is fictional, the real places and people discussed stamps with feelings.
January 25, 2020
On of the best children's stories of the old west. Takes place at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Tells the story of a little girl who makes friends with the Indians. The author lived on the base at Fort Sill as a child. I read this book to many classes of second graders. I borrowed the book from a fellow teacher. I wish I could get a copy.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews