30 October 2017 BUMPETY, DUNKETY, THUMPETY-THUMP! by K.L. Going and Simone Shin, illustrator, Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, September 2017, 48p., ISBN: 978-1-4424-3414-1

“And even if time ain’t really on my side

It’s one of those days for takin’ a walk outside”

-- John Sebastian, “Daydream” (1966)

“Berries on tongues taste bumpety-bump.

Plop them in the bucket, they go plunkety-plunk

Bucket in the wagon rattles clunkety-clunk.

Bumpety, plunkety, clunkety-clunk.”

Presented in six onomatopoetic verses, BUMPETY, DUNKETY, THUMPETY-THUMP! is a rollicking, rhyming, bound and illustrated, bundle of joy.

A little boy and a girl take their wagon off to go berry picking and berry eating. On the way, they plop pebbles in a pond. They ditch their galoshes and proceed barefoot. With the help of the children’s mother, the bucket of berries that makes it back home is transformed into a pie. After everyone has some pie, Dad washes the dishes and the kids take a bath. The family reconvenes for a cuddled-up story time before bedtime.

Filled with luscious language, BUMPETY, DUNKETY, THUMPETY-THUMP! is a first-rate read-aloud. I’ve been sitting here with my tongue tickling as I read it over and over out loud to myself.

Simone Shin’s captivating illustrations consist of double-spread layouts on a white background. Page turn after page turn, they feature the pair of siblings front-and-center with ecstatic expressions on their faces as this berry perfect day rolls along to its satisfying conclusion.

A joyful meeting of sight and sound, taste and touch, this is one not to be missed.

Richie Partington, MLIS

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