Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Pages: 371
Intended Audience: Teens, Mature Tweens
Genre: Real Life
Notes for Parents: There is some coarse language and a few mature scenes.

The Inside Cover

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American-beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.
Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying things she can imagine: entering the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Rumor has it that a sequel is in the works. Also, Disney has apparently optioned the film rights.

What’s good?

A heart-felt, provocative and poignant story of an overweight girl trying to find her place in the world. Willowdean Dickson is a sassy, relatable main character whose confidence shifts when she gets some unexpected attention. While that shift is the focus of the central plot, the story is told through the complex relationships that Will must contend with—her mom, her best friend Ellen, her new friends, and her co-worker Bo. The writing is solid, with short chapters that make it easy to read.
Best Part: “…I don’t want it to be brave. I want it to be normal.” (pg. 294)

What isn’t good?

The story moves a little slow. There’s not a lot of action, and nothing happens that’s unexpected, except, perhaps, at the end. While Willowdean is a well-drawn and relatable character, she’s not always likeable, judging the appearance of other characters and sometimes lacking the compassion for others she wants for herself.
Worst part: The love triangle!

Recommendation þþþoo

I feel like this book deserves more than three checkmarks, but the slow pace and lack of action keeps it from being a four. The author clearly understands the challenges of being overweight and creates a realistic main character. This is definitely a feel-good book and I recommend it.

Murphy, Julie. Dumplin’. New York: Balzer + Bray, 2015.