Bumpa Rumpus and the Rainy Day

Playful language makes up for a thin plot in this tribute to the sounds of rain. One morning, Bumpa Rumpus leaps out of bed ``with a bangity-THUMP'' and notices that it's raining (``Plup-Plup from the gutter/ Tik-Tik from the glass/ Tom-Tom on the roof/ And ta-toosh on the grass''). Captivated by the splashing sounds, Bumpa finds some empty jars and goes outside to capture the noise-but when he returns indoors, he finds the containers hold only quiet water. He's disappointed until he hears a ``yargerling... from Ma's side of the wall'': his parents have been rudely awakened by rainwater leaking wildly through the roof. ``Rain isn't the stuff you keep in a jar./ To get the best rumpus you need Ma and Pa,'' Bumpa cheerfully observes, unconcerned that his dry shelter is being flooded. First-time author Reay creatively employs onomatopoeia and rhyme, while Gon suggests the nonstop rain with diagonal dotted lines of blue. Zigzag squiggles of ink over watercolors convey Bumpa's busy pace and add a frantic note to the finale. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)