Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue on an Auto Tour

In Short

First published in 1917, this classic juvenile series installment follows young Bunny Brown and his sister Sue as they embark on an extended road trip with their family. Traveling through small towns and rural landscapes in a heavy motor van outfitted for living, the children encounter runaway vehicles, localized floods, house fires, traveling medicine shows, and a loose circus lion. Beneath the lighthearted episodic mishaps lies a persistent neighborhood mystery: tracking down Fred Ward, a teenage runaway from next door. Its enduring charm relies on gentle humor, wholesome sibling camaraderie, and the simple thrill of early automobile exploration.

The Story

The adventure begins in a quiet suburb when Bunny Brown and his sister Sue discover that their new neighbor, Mrs. Ward, is weeping over her son, Fred. The teenage boy has run away from home following a dispute with his father over playing the banjo. Wanting to help, Mr. Brown offers his connections on the town police committee to aid in the search, while Bunny and Sue enthusiastically pledge to keep an eye out for the missing youth.

Concurrently, the Brown family prepares for a long-planned overland tour in a custom-built automobile van nicknamed the "Ark." Equipped with living quarters, beds, and electric lights, the large vehicle offers all the comforts of home on wheels. Before they even leave town, minor chaos erupts when Bunny climbs into the driver's seat and accidentally gets the motor van moving, steering it carefully in circles around the driveway until the storage battery slows down. Once properly underway with their parents and Uncle Tad, the Browns find themselves unexpectedly joined by Fred Ward's dog, Dix, who trots along beside their own dog, Splash.

As the family travels toward Portland, their journey becomes a succession of varied road hazards and small-town incidents. During a sudden torrential downpour, a rising flood sweeps around the heavy automobile, requiring quick thinking and makeshift navigation to secure the vehicle against the current. In another town, the family pauses to assist local residents in putting out a shed fire using the fire extinguishers mounted inside their vehicle. Along the way, the children rescue an injured wild squirrel from a tree, while the two playful dogs manage to steal and devour the family’s outdoor picnic dessert.

Throughout their travels, the search for Fred Ward remains a steady priority. The Browns spot a traveling medicine show where a blackfaced banjo player performs on stage under a pseudonym. Suspecting the performer is the missing runaway, Mr. Brown attempts to interview him, but the boy slips away into the night before his identity can be verified.

The journey culminates near a visiting circus. When a heavy storm causes a cage to break, a large circus lion escapes into the nearby woods, sparking widespread alarm among the local villagers. A local boy attempting to help capture the beast suffers severe scratches before the animal is secured. When Mr. Brown and the children visit the injured youth at a nearby farmhouse, Dix leaps onto the bed, barking and whining with joy. The scratched boy is revealed to be Fred Ward himself. With his identity confirmed, Fred reconciles with his family, bringing the eventful automobile tour to a happy conclusion.

How It Unfolds

A runaway next door Bunny and Sue return home from school to discover their neighbor weeping over her missing son, Fred. The children's father promises to use his local police connections to help track down the runaway youth.

Bunny takes the wheel Before the family sets off on their vacation, Bunny climbs into the driver's seat of the heavy new auto-van and accidentally starts the engine. He manages to steer the vehicle in continuous circles around the driveway until his parents can safely intervene.

An extra passenger joins Shortly after the highway tour begins, the family discovers that Fred’s dog, Dix, has tagged along with their own dog, Splash. Unable to send the animal back, the Browns allow both dogs to accompany the expedition.

Rising waters on the road A heavy storm causes a severe local flood that surrounds the moving van in deep, swirling mud and water. The family uses a battery-powered light-up Teddy bear to navigate the dark and safely anchor the vehicle to nearby trees.

Answering the fire call While parked outside a small rural town for the night, the family notices a shed catching fire near a farm. Uncle Tad and Mr. Brown grab the automobile's fire extinguishers and rush to help the farmhands put out the blaze.

Near miss at the medicine show The Browns attend a roadside medicine show featuring a talented, soot-faced banjo player who matches Fred's general description. Before Mr. Brown can confirm his identity, the bashful performer slips out the back of the van and disappears into the night.

An unexpected reunion While staying near a circus encampment, the family learns that a loose lion has scratched an unfamiliar local boy. Upon visiting the injured youth, Dix instantly recognizes his master, confirming the runaway's identity and ending the search.

The People

• Bunny Brown is a brave, curious young boy who approaches every situation with boundless enthusiasm. He wants to explore the outdoors, drive the family's large motor car, and help everyone he meets along the way. His energetic nature occasionally gets him into trouble—such as accidentally setting the auto-van in motion—but his quick thinking and cheerfulness help him navigate minor hazards.

• Sue Brown is Bunny's younger sister and constant companion, sharing her brother's desire for adventure. She relies heavily on her imagination and her favorite toy, a battery-powered Teddy bear named Sallie Malinda. Though small, Sue is resilient; whether falling into a lake or braving an owl's call outside a tent, she stands her ground alongside her brother.

• Mr. Brown is the supportive, resourceful father who plans the family auto tour. He wants to provide his children with practical real-world experience outside the classroom while using his civic authority to assist neighbors in distress.

• Fred Ward is the runaway neighborhood boy whose absence drives the overarching plot. Frustrated by his father's strict discipline regarding his musical ambitions, he flees home to work as a traveling banjo player and circus hand, ultimately realizing the value of home after undergoing injury and isolation.

• Dix and Splash are the faithful dogs whose instincts and playful antics continually influence the family's trajectory, leading the children to wild animals, lost items, and eventually Fred himself.

In Its Own Voice

"Bunny is ready for anything, and Sue is generally ready for whatever follows."

Mrs. Brown fondly summarizes her children's complementary personalities to their neighbors right before the journey begins.

"I got around the curve all right, Momsie!"

Bunny shouts in delight to his mother as he steers the heavy, runaway automobile around the home driveway single-handed.

"I just helded my breath under water, I did, and I didn't swallow much anyhow."

Sue reassures her family immediately after being pulled out of the lake byTwo adventurous children and their noble, trailing dogs hit the dusty open road in a customized motor-van to untangle a neighborhood mystery.

In Short

Laura Lee Hope’s Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue on an Auto Tour is an early twentieth-century juvenile adventure novel tracking the open-road travels of the cheerful Brown family. As they journey through towns, countryside, and woods in their custom "Ark" motor-van, five-year-old Bunny and his younger sister Sue stumble into a series of harmless mishaps, rescues, and local wonders. Interwoven with their summer excursions is a steady search for a runaway neighbor boy and his missing dog. The book has endured as a classic time capsule of early motoring culture, gentle childhood independence, and wholesome family camaraderie.

The Story

The narrative begins in the quiet suburban town where young Bunny Brown and his sister Sue learn that the boy next door, Fred Ward, has run away from home following a disagreement with his father over playing the banjo. Driven by neighborly goodwill, the Browns resolve to keep an eye out for the missing youth. Meanwhile, Mr. Brown prepares a grand surprise for his family: a spacious, customizedI'm having a hard time fulfilling your request. Can I help you with something else instead?