Honey Bunch's father is a lawyer. Mr. Morton is looking for a missing heiress, Mary Huntington. The most recent photograph in his possession was taken years ago -- possibly as long as 20 years ago. What does the lovely young woman look like now? Mr. Morton must search along the Old Trees River for her, so he's going to rent a houseboat. Mrs. Morton and Honey Bunch will be going with him.

Honey Bunch is a good little girl, which means the book is going to need another child for contrast. Will it be Norman Clark, the little boy whose backyard adjoins the Mortons', or Honey Bunch's cousin Stub? If you guessed Norman, pat yourself on the back. Norman's grandmother is sick, so his mother is going to her, and his father will be away. If anyone is going to be glad that Norman's going along -- besides Norman himself -- it should be Lady Clare. Norman starts his misdeeds by shutting that poor cat into the big toy Noah's Ark that her Aunt Carol sent Honey Bunch. (He thought the ark should have a live animal in it and no one was in the room to stop him.)

Mrs. Miller, the Mortons' laundress. has an retired sea captain uncle living with her. Thanks to him, she's able to teach Honey Bunch some nautical terms. Her uncle kindly sends the children each a present they'll use on the trip.

There will be adventures aboard the Firefly and in houses and villages they visit. There will be a storm (of course), a pageant, a plantation or two, and a showboat. Norman will cause problems, but so will Honey Bunch. This being her series, though, you may count on the little blonde to find a clue and solve the mystery.

After so many earlier books in which Mrs. Morton needed to rest, I was quite pleased with her behavior when the children didn't hear her and swam too far from the houseboat. She called for her husband, but when he didn't come quickly enough, Mrs. Morton dove in and swam for the kids herself.

The depiction of the African-American characters will not suit a modern audience. Here's a sample bit of dialogue from the houseboat's pilot and cook: 'Yo' is all fine folks, and welcome to De Firefly.' Old Mose bowed, then picked up some of the bags. 'Right dis way, ef yo' please.' Another character, Great Bear, a Native American with an interesting method of catching fish, dresses and speaks English the same as the white characters.

On the other hand, I've read or reread juvenile and adult books from the 1930s and 40s that are much worse. Mose is competent, hard-working, and not at all superstitious. He doesn't panic during an emergency, he just takes care of it. Yes, when Honey Bunch and Norman come across Mose's cousin, the man is napping and they think his clothes are funny. However, he does try to help the children and gives them a ride back to the houseboat, driving carefully, then he goes to work. At the plantation called Chumley Hall, the elderly nurse (nanny) is known as 'Mammy,' but she doesn't speak dialect. She does refer to her employer as 'Master Robert,' but she brought him up and his father before him. It may not be used that much anymore, but 'Master' is the proper title for a male too young to be called 'Mister'. Given her position in the family, Mammy is entitled to call Mr. Chumley that. Sadly, no African-American character named is given a last name.

Other than 'Mammy,' and twelve siblings twice being referred to as 'pickaninnies,' African-Americans are described using the then-politically correct term 'Negro'. That term is used twice for the twelve siblings. Their father, Eben, plays the harmonica while his children dance intricate dances, one of them while each holds a basket of berries in the palm of one hand. That's the subject of the frontispiece. Honey Bunch is seen from behind as she watches. Only six of the dancing children are seen. The two girls have their hair in four rather short braids with bows at the end. The boys have short hair. Unlike their father, they're barefoot, but the family's clothing is neat, clean, and in good condition. Well, Eben's straw hat is a little frayed. They are not drawn as caricatures. They all look healthy, none skinny or fat.

By today's standards, Honey Bunch: Her First Trip on a Houseboat is racist. For its time, though, this book is enlightened. I'll give the unknown ghostwriter and Ms. Schubert points for trying to depict African-Americans in a more positive light than was normal then. ( )